The Imperial Saber
by Marutectz552
Summary: "Soldiers we are: we the Imperial-Sabers do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, so we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down, ever." Tatsumi's beginnings were not of a free hero as he was made out too be but as a Soldier loyal to the Empire he lived in. Loyalty until Death.
1. Prologue

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber**

_Prologue_

Staring into the distance, a young man dressed in the uniform as a soldier of the Empire could only feel a numb feeling drip into his very core. Another rebellion had been put down in its infancy, another thousand souls he had ordered to be killed or made an example off and all for what? The Empire was a flawed thing, just for those who could _afford_ the system to be made and the rest of the good people within the borders were abused. Change had to come, it had to come but what would be the point if he was supposed to protect the Empire itself from enemies? His duty, to protect the Emperor and his subjects.

How could one who swore to protect his country, protect it from itself?

Corruption had made its mark on the system that was once a fair, just and pure nation.

Ever since he was a child, he had enlisted into the Empires Armies and stayed there till his present time. He had fought, he had learned, he had listened and he had grown into a prominent figure who could hold his own against the world. He had seen many people being tortured, many people who were good folks put to death from corruption itself. Snarling silently, what could he do in order to carry out his duty as a soldier while trying to stop the evil he was supposed to destroy? Destroying the very evil that was giving him orders to put down rebellions that had the _right_ to find a better chance for their own futures.

_You Monster..._

_Just another demon..._

_A fucking betrayer..._

The voices of those he had killed, ordered to put to death and all for what?

For them to tear at his soul, demanding that justice be done for his actions.

Long ago, his innocence had been lost once had to see the horrors of war. The boy that was never a boy had been born out of the injustice that he had been ordered to do. Anger, that word alone didn't do itself any credit to what he felt for performing the acts of barbarism that became of former enemies. Why did life have to snuffed out so easily, in order for another corrupted politicians domain to remain in power which had been clearly due for a change? That word sent a jolt of excitement through his veins, to change in order for the Empire to exist. His mind started to process the very things that he was ordered to never to consider, for the Empire had to exist for Order to continue as it arose from the fires of Chaos itself.

But what if that for the Empire to exist, to be that pillar for all citizens to prosper had to change to meet those demands.

Tears started to form, as the boy who was a soldier knew that for the current system had failed itself. Corruption had clearly taken root in all systems of administration of government, the Emperor was unaware due to the front that had blinded him to the reality of the Empire itself. He knew that in his heart, to fight for Justice a new System had to be implemented in order for the rebellions to stop and for the people to have faith in those that had formed the Empire form its humble origins over one thousand years ago. The soldiers of the past, those who had helped form the very borders of a super power would be rolling in their graves for what the current system had caved into itself for all the sins that human committed to their own personal satisfaction.

He needed people in power, the ones who _knew_ what the dawn of a new day was giving rise too.

"How?"

Speaking a single word: how could he stop the Empire from collapsing into total anarchy?

These answers would be considered treason, in the eyes of his superiors and his own mentors in the past recently. They would be affronted to know that him, an idol to the youngest of the Empires military would be a traitor to his core for trying to save the Empire from itself by killing the very corruption that ran its system. The Emperor's authority had be limited, it had to be since his very own Ministers were abusing the powers given to them for nearly the entire reign of the child-emperor. Gnashing his teeth together, this was treason to consider in disposing the Emperor for the need to change but that wasn't the problem at hand here. The problems weren't with the younger boy, know he had met at some point or another because the System was flawed.

There was no justice, no equality, no change and nothing could be done to stop it...

Unless he took matters into his own hand, trying to reason with the few that could do something to stop the collapse of a millennium old power that had formed from the barbaric times in the ancient past. Would anyone listen to him? At least those who were willing to see that the without the need to purge the bureaucrats that ran the Empire for the Emperor, that the very thing they fought for would be nothing but ruins in the near future? Perhaps he'd have to join the revolution forming at its core near the south-eastern borders since the North was now a genocide of its native populace in trying to challenge the might of the Imperial Armies that reined supreme for many years.

On that note he cringed, the Northern Armies were lead by the woman who was said to be the strongest within the Empire.

God damn his soul, that woman was probably the most alluring horror that the world had been tasked to witness. Her eyes were beautiful, make no mistake but the depth of empathetic feelings were deeper than any ocean and the chill of her glare made storms stop in their wake. Her presence alone would make most fear for their own families, since she made a point to wipe out anyone connected to being a traitor to the empire and her ways had forced submission from everyone still loyal to the Empire. Closing his eyes as memories wormed their way from his heart, he could remember clearly what was at stake if he had to become a rebel himself.

"_Leading an army is not like commanding a squad, its not the same. For you must be the pillar that your men look up too and for that you must never waver, for they will follow you until victory is achieved. There is no glory to those shamed in defeat, but never expect victory to be achieved until the very last of your enemies are dead..."_

Lessons were drilled into his head from those who had parted knowledge and first hand experience when had asked or learned under those people. Most were dead, or retired from active duty with just a few still serving the Empire to this day. He couldn't do this alone, he needed help or first off: get advice on whether this course of action would do any justice to the evils that were lurking within the Empires borders itself. Sighing to himself, he'd have to find answers and create time in order to get those answers from the few that would assist him in this type of manner.

Loyalty and Ambition.

He knew that this line would be scrutinized in order for his questions to be answered. Loyal to the Empire but it could be mistaken for a power ploy to increase his standings in the political arena as well as the Military. It frightened him to the point where he watched the setting in front of him, with intense details that made him realize what he was actually staring at.

A village was burning to the ground...

With several key rebellious leaders nailed to crosses in order to send a message to the rest of the world: fight the Empire and die, painfully.

He had been ordered to make an example of the rebellions brewing within the Empire itself. His superiors wanted to send a message, to the rest of the would-be rebels that were lurking to rise up and challenge the existence of the Order that had been established, he had performed those orders to the letter and not once, enjoyed a single moment. His men had learned, fully aware of his tastes when it came down to an enemy that had fought there hearts out for a cause that was doomed to fall. They were aware of his fairness to a subdued enemy and were fearful of his wrath if they had committed any atrocities within his sight.

By that, it meant two things.

Looting and Rape.

The rebels were their own countrymen, fellow citizens who were trying to make themselves into a better livelihood for their own reasons to fight. He'd respect that courage to stand up when tyranny had pushed them once more too far, he could respect that courage to fight and he'd damn well give them fair-quarter once he destroyed their means to assemble an army on any day of the week. Unlike most of his peers, he had been the one to show his kindness to his enemies, they were to be treated with respect and to understand that their actions weren't without emotions of the Empire. He had cried silently, he had shed tears for the weak that were given no quarter from his fellows since they had nothing other than to fight in order to live.

Those that were rebelling, had their reasons and he could understand why.

In another life, his position could have been the same way as the rebels had rose up to challenge the Empire to have a shot at a better life. To bring a peace to their futures without having any sort of evil torment their own children, slavery due to the high taxes from the local Governors that held territories to report back to the capital of the Empire itself. The areas that had been granted from the Prime Minister himself to his fellows had each horrors rumored within their luxurious homes and it caused an unholy anger to surge back up into his stomach once more.

The Capital had become a fester hub of sins, of evil and it honestly was only getting worse.

Never had been there personally, at least within several years had he been physically in that city that spanned far beyond the eye that it could see. A city so massive, it was the heart of the Empire and now it had become its greatest disease infecting the whole stability that had once been its golden light. The commerce alone would make any merchant guild there richer beyond any single entity, which were few in number but command great influence to the common man within its walls. Again that urge to fight for change had been electrifying his veins with a desire that came close to the one inside his heart, he felt that need to believe it was so right.

But was it?

To change a form of government was near nigh impossible without having the need for a unified front to change that alone and rebelling was much more simpler to do within the immediate time-frame that it took for men to form opinions on the matter. The Prime Minister would brand him a traitor and have him publicly humiliated before allowing such an issue be whispered amongst the ones in power. In either way, he would die quick and without mercy from the ones hunting down the rebellions within the borders of the Empire. His very name would be a poison for those to utter if they wanted to emulate him or use him as a means to an end, to inspire those that the Empire was wrong. It wasn't, the Empire itself was still a power to stabilize the world...

But the Corruption had to end.

It must end and it would one way or another.

If the Empire wanted to flourish and expand for all its citizens to see a better tomorrow...

Or it would crumble into chaos, where horrors would a reality every day until Hell itself came to devour the remaining vestiges of justice and fairness once more. A world where every person would be equals to their fellow neighbors, not an enemy but as a friend. An Empire where everyone flourished to see the dawn of a new era, to see a road of Justice, Fairness and Equality that would make another child smile at the life he or she was given. Anything less of that and the Empire's system had failed in that regard, as it failed to provide for its people: only to abuse them for power alone corrupted those who wielded it.

Unwillingly, he watched as the setting of the burning village faded away into an older memory that ran fresh on his mind.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey lets become hero's, to get money to get this village out of poverty!"<em>

_A boy spoke to him, whereas he grinned in response while sticking out his hand in agreement. He smiled, "Heroes for life, where justice prevails over all and we will never back away from our words." The trees that the two were under were healthy, green and so full of life that the animals within its branches scurried without the fear of a predator. The warmth of the sun, filtered down making the two boys comfortable as a girl's voice spoke up from behind them._

_With a soft wind, caressing their faces as the summer months drew closer to their end._

"_Ie__yasu! Don't forget about me, the three of us will become Heroes together and the village will become rich because of us!" The young girl smiled, as her friends grinned at each other. "Damn right Sayo, you and I will be the greatest duo together to kick ass until the end of the world. For justice, for our village and for our dreams to come true."_

_The last of the trio could only retort playfully, "Hey what about me? Am I that bad?"_

_Sayo smiled, "Not at all Tatsumi, you'll be the leader. After all, you like telling others what to do and its usually to get food."_

_Tatsumi only laughed bashfully while rubbing the back of his head, "So lets make a promise. We all become heroes and promise to return here, to show the village what we did in order to make it great and rich forever."_

_The three formed fists and bumped them together._

_As the sun shined bright overhead, not hindering the hearts of the children who did not know of the true world that lied ahead._

* * *

><p>Tatsumi returned to reality, wishing that it wasn't so dark and cold as many had said to him over the time he had been alive.<p>

It was amusing, he thought to himself as his eyes watched the flames of the village he had burned to the ground. This was an old memory foolish yet heart warming past. A past that he had promised to return too in time, as his friends were still out there fighting to become heroes from the last time had heard off. They wanted to become freelancers, roaming heroes while he wanted to try something different to get his village away from the taxes that plagued it. He had went and enlisted into the nearest Imperial recruitment station for the Army.

And he hadn't looked back, trying to strive for a promise that seemed impossible to reach without bloodshed.

Again, it was an old promise...

One that he believed for all people to have, to become a Hero to help all those who were poor and weak to grant them a better livelihood.

There wouldn't be a need for poor villages, being taxed, being forced to sell children into slavery to pay off debts. There wouldn't the need for friends, to die and to have the hope of the people become nothing more than a dream. His eyes watered as he watched the flames of another village fall to his forces, falling to his own orders as injustice had been committed against the justice that the ones who rebelled had the right too. Sheer anger gripped his heart, he felt the need to scream at the injustice of the world that he had been ordered too inflict on those that had the right to fight for a better life. So he had to ask himself: where was the justice in that!

"Colonel Saber."

A voice brought him out of his thoughts, Tatsumi looked over apathetically to the elder Lieutenant.

"Have the villagers been given a route for them to flee and to find new lands to settle, at least the ones not associated with the rebels nailed to those crosses?"

The question was met with a swift response.

"Yes sir, they were given any spare food supplies for their journey and horses for them to carry their belongings. As per your orders, we didn't loot their valuables in the village until they took what they could and no women were taken against their will."

Tatsumi let a small smile of relief appear, the elder man was aware of his _reluctance_ to allow such atrocities to be committed as other units were to do against an enemy. However it didn't mean that the unit that were with was weak, not by a long shot and for it was worth, every man was loyal to the 'Imperial Saber' who led them against the enemies of the Empire itself in battle after battle. An entire legion of man, over ten thousand souls had become a disciplined force that fought with the tenacity of a Danger Beast that smelled blood on its prey and they didn't give in to their emotions at first glance. Control was the driving factor in their battles, they were loyal, they were strong and they didn't falter against any enemy. Especially against the face of Evil itself, as it hid in many forms of its own devices.

Being it rebel or foreign alike...

They were hard soldiers, fair and respected to the enemy as they would do to them, in their own shoes. None of the areas that had rebelled spoke of trying it again, out of respect and admiration to the young Colonel of the Imperial Saber Legion and it gave a spark of hope for those to have in seeing change come to the Empire in that figure of that young man. Enemies of the Empire within the Western region respected tales of such a leader, they offered submission to him out of respect for the tenacity they held in battle and not one of the Empire's foes would dare see such an officer die in shame. If he were to be defeated, he would be treated fairly and equally as one of their own, for he had given such things to them and they wouldn't be swayed otherwise.

The Western portion of the Empire, was secured from both Rebellions and Enemy's beyond its borders for now.

But for how long?

As only corruption remained, though it fled at the sight of the Imperial Saber Legion once it had been stationed within the provinces and that alone made the common people smile with hope at the sense of justice, that had been long since removed during the reign of the Child-Emperor, whether Tatsumi knew or not. He had become an idol to the many that seen his actions on the field of battle, few called him a monster but more so as a figure of fairness that had been absent for so long in war, it made many wish to see the true light of the Empire. This light would drive him, so how into the world stage where he had to change the very country he loved in order for it to survive the coming tide of war.

For it once was a dream and now a twisted nightmare ready to be awaken from.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Anything else to add?"

The young Colonel spoke, while watching the flames eat away at the former homes of the rebellion that was put down. Out of the two thousand villagers, five hundred were killed because of their actions and the rest were spared under the terms of surrender, many of them were children and women who couldn't hold a weapon to defend themselves properly. His heart burned to see children, whose faces were horrified to see their own fathers, brothers or family members crucified but his orders were absolute: make public examples and give the rebels no quarter if they were to resist.

Many did and a few understood their fates: making their families spared the coming chaos that consumed their lands.

And he kept his word as the rebels were executed.

He had made sure that no rape, not a singe pillaging and murder were to be done: at all costs...

"A messenger came from the Capital an hour ago, sir. It stated that you personally were to be stationed at the Imperial Palace until further notice, I got the impression something big is starting to happen. These were orders from..."

Tatsumi interrupted annoyed, not at the man who rather where the orders were issued from.

"From that lard of a Prime _Minister_ or the Emperor himself, I'm aware." The lieutenant went silent as the flames gave way to the burning crackles of wood and stone from below the two soldiers. Smoke clogged the air as blood stained the earth that was meant for food to be grown, not for Danger Beasts to consume the dead that were buried underneath their own homes. In the end, he spat off to the side clearly unhappy with the news being delivered. The blood shed had stopped finally here, only for more to follow in the wake of the Empire's leadership: this was getting out of hand, immediately.

"I leave the Legion in your command, there are no other officers in charge sides you or myself. Lead them well, fight for glory and do not become the monsters that men become with power. The Imperial Sabers will not become degenerate dogs that rape and pillage our countrymen." With that, his cloak that was equipped onto his uniform swept over past the horizon behind him. As flames red as blood and orange as the ghoulish nature of a monster arose into the night skies, leaving behind him a trail of destruction as his troops looked on nearby. They marched as a howling wind blew from the west, sending his cloak backwards as the soon to be ex-commander watched the burning homes of people who had never raised a weapon in their lives. Steel encased soldiers marched by, in formation and without sparing a glance at their own citizens.

All in the name of the Empire.

And Colonel 'Saber' Tatsumi could only sigh in acceptance of his new station in the capital.

The true corruption lied there and there wasn't a damned thing he could to do, other than to purge it: like a festering wound.

So for that he did the one thing he could do in his power.

He shed a single tear, just not for those were lost.

But for the ones who _**deserved**_ to be lost in the fires of hell itself.

_End Prologue_

**Author's Note:** Well, I honestly had to try this out because of a funny story really: how I came to post this prologue.

Someone on this site, who was from my hometown (and state) literally pieced together who I was on this site. Let me tell you, its fucking scary as to how determined this individual to was find me and no, nothing happened since I was at work when he actually asked about my pen-name. This person was young, probably around the age when I first came onto this site nearly seven years ago. I was exactly Fourteen at the time and Christ, did I feel like an old man (Not really, but it shows how time flies).

Long boring conversation short, kind of amusing to say that.

Back to this story I got this urge write out a certain story that I had been dying to see, in this section for many a moons now. I just wanted someone to start a different spin on the Akame ga kiru universe or rather, the story of it as the characters having different AU roles. So I came to the conclusion, what if 'Tatsumi was a loyal soldier' of the Empire and was fluently concerned for his country as it started to dismantle itself from the Evil within? This is quite the take on it and I know for a fact, someone probably did something similar on their own story: so for that...

I do apologize if that is the case because I haven't skimmed through these stories for quite some time.

So I present a tale on Tatsumi whose a solder of the Empire, which will expand greatly into the world that he is currently in.

And for those who will ask for a pairing, I'm a fan of Esdeath/Tatsumi so by means expect the backlash to occur.


	2. Chapter I

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber**

**Chapter One**

"_I never realized, even on horseback getting to the Capital would take this long. Thank God for small mercies, I'd have been lost if I walked here at all and this place is just ridiculous. Swear this city gets bigger every time I come here." _Tatsumi had ridden a horse towards the capital, it was his personal steed that was a fine specimen of its breed. A dark brown stallion with a patch of white across the right side of its face, the female animal had earned its birthright as a fast-paced messenger and the young Colonel had cared for it for two years now. He had gotten it as a reward for promotion to lead then infancy of the Imperial Saber Legion and he hadn't wished for a finer companion. The animal was probably the oldest thing he had to a friend and possibly a family as well.

He named her, Noburu.

An animal noble in her heritage, to be a fine example of a horse as he had cared for her once he had gotten promoted to the position of Colonel within the Empires Military. While the position was high on the chain of command, he knew that it was a short ended stick before becoming a general in the long run of things. Politicians, bureaucrats or even corrupted figures were aware of his intentions on some level and were looking to stunt his rise to the more open influenced positions like a General, in order to keep him under-wraps. It sickened him, seeing the abuse of powers and what not to secure their own interests for a few more years whereas he could have gotten progress to change the Empire from its festered system now.

The problem at hand was where could he begin for such a task?

His time on the Western frontier in subduing the rebellions that were forming were quite tedious in itself, the more violent and open ones were immediately suppressed with his Imperial Saber Legion and that alone was worthy for those in power to warrant their attention onto him. He reflexively maneuvered Noburu away from a rotting tree that had fallen across the road leading to the outskirts of the Capital City, Tatsumi honestly had no idea to even remotely garner influence amongst the politicians to create a change in the system for the Empire to rule the people.

This wasn't easy, nor did he even remotely wish to take on the mantle of that responsibility without support from those he considered 'friends' in this day and age. So few he knew, so few yet so many had followed him into combat and they had prevailed at the end of the bloodshed. He could only try to find help in such a hope for the Empire to endure, he could only hope and find ways that would be eventful enough to establish. It just seemed, to be so vast to try to find those to stand with his beliefs and in the event if was impossible...

No.

He would not accept anything less, he would find a way or burn in hell for a failure.

"_I won't falter in my hope, I can do this. I just need to a place to start, you can do this. You made it this far, Sayo and Isyeau are still out there becoming heroes for our village. I'll find a way to make the Empire better for our village, I swore I would_." His eyes came upon the wall that surrounded the vast capital of the Empire, first things first he needed to get to the Palace where he'd have to await further instructions from whoever was commanding the defenses. Adjusting his uniform and preparing his satchel which held the paperwork for the guards to accept his credentials, Tatsumi took a deep breath as he came to the gates that checked in visitors to the city itself.

Bringing Noburu to a halt, he patted the side of her neck as the horse neighed in response to his affectionate touch. There was a small wait till he approached the gates leading into a busy intersection of the city itself, the guards were somewhat shocked to see his rank addressed on the side of his shoulder which marked him an officer.

Tatsumi didn't blame them.

He was incredibly young to be a high ranked soldier but when he enlisted as a child, those were the perks in surviving for as long as he had.

"Halt! State your name and visiting the Capital, sir."

One of the guards spoke this respectfully as Tatsumi replied with a kind smile that made the two men on duty look on with softened expressions. It wasn't about looks, it was a genuine smile from a man who understood their positions which made the youngster all the more charismatic. He understood the troubles for the most casual of duties at times.

"Colonel Tatsumi 'Saber' reporting to the Imperial Palace for assignment. I have my paperwork right here with the Seal of the Emperor, I must confess this was brought to me several days ago out in the field." He laughed somewhat embarrassed to admit it as he handed the folded parchment to the lead Guard who was scanning the print with a mild interest. Whilst the other could only be startled in shock as he asked him, with a near awed look.

"You're Colonel Saber from the Western Territories! I beg my pardon, sir but you saved my family from being executed once a rebellion broke up from the neighboring villages. We were to be condemned but your Legion gave us a chance to live another life." The leader of the guard could only snort at his compatriots tone, but nonetheless his eyes glimmered with respect to the young man on horseback who had a confused expression on his face. Tatsumi didn't know how to react other than to offer his hand to the guard who shook it with an enthusiasm that expressed, gratitude, admiration and utter devotion which seemed to be odd.

An oddity that was welcomed nonetheless.

"Ah! Forgive me, my memory is a bit hazy. Still I hope for the best of luck to your family then. Keep them safe and loyal to the Empire, for we all must try to make the best of our lives. Have hope and never look back."

The guard gripped his hand hard, responding immediately.

"Understood Sir, enjoy your stay in the capital. It's a beautiful city and be safe."

Tatsumi nodded, smiling kindly as he accepted his orders back from the guard captain who allowed him passage. Gently he nudged Noburu forward making the horse move past the looming walls on his way to the palace, which was way off in the horizon at the top of the small mountain that it was built upon. From a distance it seemed that the metropolis was a booming, thriving and welcoming urban center but the young officer could feel something amiss such feelings. He didn't consider himself a master of human emotions nor a genius amongst tacticians but he knew injustice at first sight as he had fought against it for his time in the Empire's Military.

He felt tense here, as various people were passing him and many were saddened.

Their eyes gave it away, that haunted look which disturbed him immensely.

"_Looking at these people, the corruption plaguing the Empire itself is rooted here. I can see the despair, that hopeless look when a person has given up on trying to fight the evil in their lives and for all that mattered: the lack of hope makes them susceptible to submission. No, not that. I feel that these people are just broken spiritually now more than ever. Is it possible for a person to lose their way, once no hope has been offered to them?"_

Riding along on the street, Tatsumi could only see the sorry states of its various citizens that were going about their daily lives. Every mans eyes were hollowed, postures slackened and the women were always glancing over their shoulders as if trying to spot rapists amongst the crowds. Few walked alone and children were no where to be seen, it just burned the blood of the Colonel whose duty was to protect the very people of the Empire he served. Silently glaring at the Palace in the distance, Tatsumi had that urge to drink himself silly in order to fully gripe with the reality beset upon him and boy, the fucking temptation was killing him.

In fact, he passed by a decent looking bar just to get himself really annoyed more so than usual.

"What do you think Noburu? Want to rest up and get a drink, you need one especially traveling this far without much."

He patted the side of the horses neck, affectionately rubbing a spot where the animal neighed in response as it slowed to a stop. Eying the various folks that were looking at him due to his uniform, the young man sighed to himself before moving other towards the bar that had a spot to tie up horses as a water source had been created there. Slinging the parcel over his shoulder, he tied us his horse to allow her to drink and eat the feed that was laid out. Looking up at the bar, it seemed like a fairly nice establishment and he had some decent amounts of money on him, serving the Empire as an officer had its perks in the long run of things.

In the end, the orders had received didn't state the time-frame had to report into the Capital.

Merely that he go to the palace, so some downtime and leisure would be a nice rest before going back to his profession as a soldier. He smiled somewhat bitterly to himself, most people wouldn't have been able to afford such a place but in the end, he needed something to lift his spirits in order to become even more motivated to assist those in need. He moved towards the entrance of the bar, pushing open the door as he spied several vacant spots around him. Conversations silenced as they spotted his appearance, making several folks avert their gazes which got him curious at the fearful responses.

He sat a stool facing the bartender that eyed him for a moment before returning to his tasks, cleaning the glasses and absently smiling for some reason or another. He sighed before asking the bartender, a clear question. "Do you serve any ale here? If so, I'd like something smooth and not a bad aftertaste." he got a perplexed look from the bartender as if gauging his age, but Tatsumi smiled kindly while pointing to the rank on his shoulder giving the man the hint that he wouldn't be slammed with an illegal fine for serving a minor which was more of a deterrent than anything. Money was money, people had to make a living in some way or form which was negative in his opinion.

For a few minutes, the talk of the bar came alive again as he shut his eyes enjoying the peace that flowed into him. While the atmosphere wasn't tense, he felt the pressing matters of everyday life and he wished to try to lift that burden amongst the citizens to make them believe in the Empire itself. He wanted them to enjoy their times together, not be afraid of those to persecute them in order to satisfy their personal gains. Just seeing this hidden suffering was enough for him to take the Palace by storm and try to get any sort of help to end the corruption that has crippled the Capital itself.

It seemed nearly impossible...

But there was always a way for a dream to come true and it often took hard work to achieve such a state.

Smiling to himself, his mind went to his old promise with his two childhood friends: Ieyasu and Sayo.

"_I wonder how they're doing, I left the earliest to prove everyone right. I send back money in amounts to help those who are starving and I have yet to hear from them at all. Maybe they're doing jobs so often that they barely have time for me, I wouldn't hold it against them since I'd be in the same boat. God I hope you didn't try to get onto Sayo, Ieyasu: you always were a horn dog. Heh, I bet she kicked you in the balls for touching her ass and all that..."_

The drink from the bartender came in front of him, he smiled and offered his thanks to the man who shrugged at his tone. He was just doing his job and returned to the task of making more drinks for the rest of the patrons that were trickling in as the sun went down outside. Many of the people gave him a wide berth, as if more fearful to be even an inch away yet alone inside the bar. One or two random passerby promptly got out of the bars range, as if his uniform were a curse upon their sight. It made him feel isolated, which was an experience he hadn't been exposed to for a while now. He looked down at the bluish tinged liquid in front of him, not even ale he was used too but he'd accept the bartenders experience to have a decent drink.

Sipping it, Tatsumi coughed a bit at the unexpected aftertaste as it burned his throat.

"Blue berry or, is this watermelon?"

He half asked the question as the bartender passed by him with several mugs in his hands, "It's a fruit from the southern part of the Empire a hybrid of Wild Berry and Pineapple, its very rare and expensive to deliver. It's a good potent mix for those who like a finesse in their drinks." Tatsumi could only look on in amazement as he had several more sips, he have to tip this man for knowing job very well. Smiling he would be amazed at how much the drink would cost, but when one person had the money it could buy them relief. It made him bitter on the inside, but he hadn't exploited anyone for his own gains and he'd keep it like that for the rest of his natural life.

"_I might become an alcoholic after this, hell this is best drink I ever had. Who knew, add a little fruit to the mix of a tasteless ale and you'd take it like water from a canteen in the desert. Not bad, not bad at all."_

Relaxing in his seat, Tatsumi could only look ahead against the wall to see his reflection in a mirror that spanned the length of the entire bar itself. Bottles, glasses and small barrels were lined up behind the wooden counter-tops he had his elbows resting on, it gave him a sense of peace despite the Capitals state right now. He wished he could have a sense of direction now, leading a Legion of the Empires Soldiers into battle had taught him the meaning of leadership but did the cost of securing a peace be the result of a war that would tear the very Empire he cherished apart?

It didn't make any sense, if change didn't come to those in power than the very fabric of daily life would be torn asunder in the fires of war once more. As it once did over one thousand years ago, at the formation when the first Emperor had risen amongst the chaos that spawned this country. Questions formed again, the ones that refused to go away over time.

"_But how can I do this? Already knowing I can't do this alone_..."

Murmuring this to himself, the young officer could only just bathe in the content state in trying to give hope back to the people that rightly deserved it after a long reign of corruption that poisoned the life blood of the Empire. It just seemed too vast to cover, too large of a problem that had to be dealt with on such a scale it'd shake the power vacuum already in existence. The pretext of change would be that many would oppose it, humans had often hated change because it brought the fires of revolution at their doorsteps once the need to hope had become too strong for subjection to handle.

Violence always came after the need to change a way for government.

So would the Empire survive the coming destruction from within?

The young Colonel looked up at the mirror, to see the gaze of a worried man staring back at him.

"Hey there handsome, you look like you need some company."

A woman's voice spoke up from the side of him as he jumped from the sudden presence of a beauty that made his throat tighten in surprise. Sitting to the side of him was a blond woman, whose chest left little to imagine the size of her bust and with a figure that have many model women cry out in envy. Her attire was practically nonexistent except with a belt of sorts around her waist, with pants concealing a good portion of her legs and he swore her eyes held an animal tint to them that got his blood rushing places best left unnoticed.

In fact he tried to keep his blush down but the woman smiled in a tempting allure.

"Am I right there, little boy?"

Tatsumi huffed in annoyance, as the woman giggled at his pout.

"While I'd say yes, you startled me alright? It's not often to see a beauty like you to sit next to an average joe like me..."

The blond could only lean her elbow on the wooden top looking at him with a smile that suggested amusement, "Such a flatterer to a mature woman boy, though I'd say you aren't average looking. Not many boys at your age in the Imperial Army, what's your rank if its not too personal. I bet you're a new recruit or something." She leaned forward as if ready to hear an important secret. While on most days, Tatsumi really would speak up on such things since it made a lot of conversations awkward, he had the unexpected view of the woman's breasts that were literally underneath his gaze. He had to wager that this woman was intentionally making him stare, as he huffed out an answer to take his mind off those...

Shivering he looked away as the woman laughed softly at his response.

"Not exactly, I only got here today. I got posted up in the Imperial Palace and I have to report in, within a reasonable time I guess."

He wouldn't budge on his rank, it was better to play it off as a meager thing that made others nervous of his status. His Saber hit the back end of the floor with its sheath, he have to set it down somewhere unless risking to trip up someone walking by him. Sighing to himself, his hearing brought his eyes back to the blond woman who had spoken up in a surprised tone of voice.

"Wow, never figured you to be posted here. Must be a dull job now, just walking and patrolling the streets of the capital. You sure you're not an Imperial Guard instead?"

Her questions caused him to shrug, indifferently since he really didn't know the routine here.

"Just a soldier, who follows his orders. I'm just enjoying a quiet peace, so I couldn't say much about it here." The woman didn't as so much nod her head, she kept staring at him as if trying to figure him out. To be honest, it was flattering if not a bit creepy in the sense that he had not seen this woman ever in his life. So what gives way to confusion, often lead to curiosity more so than caution as he stared back. His patience gave way to an amused tone of voice, as if enjoying the staring contest.

Her eyes briefly turned into slits, making his heart rate speed up at the sudden spectacle.

"Okay I'll bite, why are you talking with me? I haven't done anything to you as far as I'm concerned or did I warrant something to get your attention?"

The woman shrugged a bit bored as she leaned back from his position, his mind was preoccupied on figuring this person's angle and it frankly got him curious as to why. It didn't hurt to be forward in such things, but being friendly with him tended to become awkward if the truth about his rank was ever known. He had little experience in having casual conversations due to the fact of his status as a Colonel, he had talked with several Generals or rather officers when he was still an enlisted soldier years ago when he first came into the Empire's service.

So, in all honesty talking to someone as an equal was slightly strange but it was welcomed.

"You got some guts in being honest, but I wanted to get my friend over there into the barracks of the Imperial Army, they're accepting enlistments and he needs the money to pay for the fees once he signs up. Taxes are a bitch and paying for your set of armor isn't cheap in this city." The blond poked him on the side of his head, on his temple and started to make a small circle motion with her finger. Her strength made him wince, as his skulls resisted the pressure being forced onto it and for a second he swore this woman was made of steel rather than flesh from her strength alone. Trying to understand her reasons, Tatsumi looked around the tavern to see a young man like himself sitting near the back end of the establishment itself.

He had green hair covering half of his face and seemed to be bored.

Which was odd, most people would be nervous in having a friend ask a stranger for money.

Then again for all he knew, the young man was just nervous within himself and had found a way to mask the emotion by doing whatever he could to ignore it. He had done the same thing, when aftermaths of suppressing rebellions in the West could do that to a person in his shoes. So ignoring that particular feeling, he replied in a curious manner while drinking the rest of his drink on the wooden top in front of him.

"That the guy with the green hair? He doesn't seem thrilled to go out and join the Imperial Army. You sure you want me to pay the fee for him to get in, its not that expensive if I recall at the top of my head. In fact, I doubt you'd need my help Miss..."

Tatsumi trailed off, a bit amused at himself for not asking for this girls name. Well, woman technically as she smiled at him as if studying his response which was a bit unnerving. Were all people outside of the Army really this scrutinizing when others asked to defend their gold purses? Leaning away from the woman he kept his gaze forward on the mirror, clearly seeing his 'companion' flaunt her assets as if tempting him to look over at her. Ignoring that urge, he just waited.

Silently he waited for answer, to his own question.

"Well if you want to ignore a pretty woman, then so be it. The names Leone, by the way."

Tatsumi could only smile kindly, "I'm Tatsumi. Its nice to meet you. And is that so hard to strike up a proper conversation with someone?"

Leone only smirked while tracing a finger along his cheek bone as if memorizing the structure of his face. Idly resisting the urge to swat the limb away, he kept his gaze trained on the blond haired woman clearly watching her movements. So for a few moments, the two people gazed into each others eyes searching one another for answers to unexpected questions that lingered in their psyche. But like all mysterious things, they passed into shadows as Leone broke her gaze to lean over to take a drink out of Tatsumi's cup who was a bit annoyed at that move.

Her eyes were playfully daring him to make a remark on her actions, clearly to see if he had restraint in some shape or form.

Well, he really had enjoyed drinking that fruit alcoholic drink now.

"You're something else kid, I like you. Not many man can stare at my face and be straight tongued to demand anything from me, so tell me really: why are you here in the capital?" That piercing gaze was back, searching for any signs of deception. Tatsumi idly had to wonder if this women was an Imperial Spy agent or something of that extent, she certainly met the standards for the espionage of the militarist arm and it certainly gave him that type of vibe. Still, she hadn't really asked anything other than generalized information that he was free to give out.

As for her intentions, he had little clue other than genuine interest in him.

"Thank you for the compliments, you're beautiful as well, but as I said earlier: I got stationed here recently, as in today. I'm just a soldier for the Empire Leone and I don't have any ill intentions towards you personally. I just wanted a small piece of time for myself, a drink to calm my nerves and to just enjoy the Empire as it is." Lying wasn't really on his manners nor even remotely close to his name, if he spoke of a topic it was the truth. Few could claim that his integrity was rotten, as he valued honesty in order for people to express their wishes instead of twisting truths. It often solved problems, in the quickest fashion to get results and so he had kept that type of social value to himself.

Leone's lips curled into a smile, as she purred into his ear while holding his drink in her furthest hand. Her own legs folded, with her foot teasing the side of his thigh tracing its length.

Her intentions were becoming curious now as far as Tatsumi was aware of in this moment.

It got him rather, uneasy for a better lack of a word.

"Thanks handsome. If you are that honest with me, how about you would like to care to spend the night with me after you pay for my friend there to go into the Imperial barracks to enlist? Hmm?" Tatsumi's raised an eyebrow in confusion and interest, he wasn't experienced with women in that type of sense. Still a virgin at his age was just pure and a better lack of a word: innocent. It caused his spine to shudder in delight or fright, either way it made his entire core shake with an unknown feeling that demanded to be sated. This challenge had been issued on some level, his body had responded while his mind was leaps behind trying to play catch up.

Quivering from her touch, the woman clearly enjoyed the effect she had onto him.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted, but I'll have to pass. No offense, I hardly know you and having a few drinks to go to a room would be kind of on the border of rape Miss Leone. I'd rather not have that on my conciseness thank you. I hope you understand why at the least." He laughed mid way a bit bashful since the reasons were honorable and honest, again.

The woman pouted, leaning back a bit as her leg retracted away from his own: since she had been trailed along his inner thigh muscle now. That sensation made certain parts of his body react strongly, as he inhaled to calm down his raging hormones that had been ignored while on the battlefields. Tatsumi's mind began to cloud with darker thoughts, as he automatically worked to suppress them back due to his own misdeeds as a soldier of the Empire. It got him slightly sick to his stomach, in reality it just made him bitter.

"Your loss. So think you can help a sister out here, I wouldn't mind returning the favor in the future for you personally."

Glancing over at the bartender, the man clearly had been paying half an ear to them and was smirking much to the young Officers growing irritation.

"Here."

Reaching to his side, Tatsumi tossed over a decent sized bag of gold coins capable of getting a person a week long stay at the most pricier taverns or hotels within the country. His kindness had won out, if a person had dreams and hope to make in the army: he wasn't going to deny such a thing from a kid his own age despite being in the army longer. "That should be enough, please do not ask me again since I do _not_ like people taking advantage of me. Help your friend, help him achieve his dreams and I want you, to promise me, to have hope that the Empire will be a better place tomorrow."

Leone stared at the moderate sized money pouch cradled between her breasts before giving a small chaste kiss on the young Colonel's cheek who had turned bright red at the contact. She whispered into his ear, "Sure handsome. And thank you again love, I'll be sure to pay you back in the future. Try to have a good night and stay safe, its a bit dangerous after dark as a fair warning. See you around, Tatsumi." She got up leaving his empty glass in front of him and he heard her whistle to the back as the young man with green hair looked at him with a keen sense of admiration? Tatsumi had to blink in confusion as the expression was replaced with an apathetic boredom to the rest of the world.

And with that, the two were gone out the door.

"Kid, I'd say you better get a bed for two in the future. Because that's a fine looking lady you should hold onto, take it from me: you can go places in having that kindness of yours."

Tatsumi blushed a bright red, as the bartender refilled his drink.

"Shut up. I wouldn't do that to a woman if we had too much to drink, it's not right. And besides, the odds are I won't see her again at all. I think I got swindled for a sob story, to be honest."

The bartender just smiled, "Have hope kid. Might as well enjoy the mark she left on you, purple looks good on you if I had to guess." Tatsumi blinked as the man started to chuckle, he looked to his glass to see a purple coloration on the border of the the rim. Reaching up to the side of his face, he felt a moisture that got him annoyed. "_She wore lipstick and it's fucking purple. Oh great, now people think I'm going to be a man-whore or womanizer. Ugh, never trust a pretty face again or I will go crazy from the suspense." _This was going to be a long night, and he knew without a doubt that it'd kick off once the sun went down.

Most of the dangers thrived at night and the capital held no such qualms to invite him to die.

* * *

><p>Perhaps he had been given a stroke of good fortune after all, Tatsumi could only marvel at the beauty of the city after the sun had fallen. He had changed out of his uniform for something more comfortable, leaving him as ordinary as many common folks that lived within the walls. Carrying his bag with his folded uniform, he had a furred sweater with black plants to cover his frame and his armored boots to keep his feet warm. Slung over his shoulder, the parcel with his orders and spare money was secured tightly to keep a mugger from trying to make off with it. Not to mention he had two weapons attached to his body, the Saber from his time in the Legion on his right hip and his old villages weapon across his back as a back-up at a moments notice.<p>

So for a few hours had wandered the city, usually walking Noburu through the streets intent on finding a lodge for the night. However to his embarrassment, many of them were filled one way or another to leave him stranded on the streets for the night to come. Hindsight was a bitch, spending so such time in a bar really should have been the secondary objective and more so to report to the Imperial Palace was the lightened on the hill over-watching the massive urban center. So like all soldiers, he dealt with the cool night and occasionally had to peer over his shoulder to make sure, few muggers would dare to take a shot at him.

Offering condolences was one thing, but he wasn't going to allow himself to be killed if things went south immediately.

So he had wandered around for hours, absently taking in the darkened corners of the Capital with a stoic face as he witnessed shadows moving beyond his sight at times. Those that preyed on weak people had definitely ignored his presence, for willing to contend with a prey that could kill a stupid predator in a straight up fight. More than once he got onto Noburu as a precaution to keep himself mobile if someone had the audacity to attack him, he didn't wish to spill blood over a gold purse but in the end if the forced his hand, so be it. His kindness had limits and defending himself was not above something he could afford to get him killed. Still he kept his heart sealed and his gaze readied in order to defend against the scum of the capital, that it had to offer if necessary.

Beyond that he had stumbled upon a lone carriage with several guards attending to it, he had been walking his horse with a slumped expression on his face. Finding a vacant tavern seemed practically a myth at the rate he was moving through the capital city. However much to his positive outlook, the carriage that he had bumped into or rather it had pulled up next to him revealed something that made his eyes narrow in confusion.

An Aristocratic lady, a young girl with a beautiful face and a kind expression appeared walking towards him; she had offered him a place inside her carriage to care for him for the night. Her kindness seemed genuine as he had taken a moment to realize that this was one of the upper class in the capital city and it was rare to be invited into their households on a whim. She greeted him with a smile that would've sent a lesser man into a red face frenzy, but he kept his calm nature while politely bowing to the Nobility of the Empire who seemed to be pleased at the respectful tone he held.

She called herself, Aria.

As for the rest of the confrontation, the young girl had offered him a place at her home for the night.

And seeing that finding a lodge for the night was getting a bit irritating, Tatsumi agreed while hitching his horse to the back of the carriage so that she could be placed in the families personal stables. The two made some small talk, as Tatsumi only revealed the basics about his occupation and kind of just tried to get some rest on the way to the mansion that he was going to be staying at.

In fact, when he witnessed Aria's home he had to withhold an urge to scowl: when money was abundant, people became warped to have the grandest life styles to fit their needs. For all he knew, these people donated some of their fortunes to the public services but he didn't make assumptions at first glance at all. So for awhile, he had been escorted into the mansion viva the guards with Aria at the head of the precession, she had claimed to have him meet her parents who were the very image of Aristocratic at their finest.

Or worst, pending on his own feelings about the rich that formed the upper classes.

"Ah, so my dear Aria has brought home another one. I wonder how many this makes, love. This is becoming quite the habit now." Aria's mother had said to her husband bemused, who seemed to be barely bothered by the presence of Tatsumi who bowed respectfully for the family for taking him in during the night. In fact, Aria seemed to be beaming as if priding herself on helping a person and from the young Colonel's standpoint...

She seemed to be somewhat forcing the expression which was odd, again.

"She'll be fine but first, may I know your name young man?" The elderly man asked pointedly as Tatsumi spoke up, a bit reserved but held a kind expression to make the family feel at ease with his presence here.

"I'm Tatsumi, sir. I recently got into the capital and for what its worth, your home is just amazing. I don't think I've seen a more grander place since I've been alive and I thank you for your daughters, kind gesture to let me stay in your home for tonight. I'll be sure to replay this debt, as much as I can do." His words were sincere as the two adults merely chuckled halfheartedly at the display of honesty. However their eyes seemingly were piercing his weaponry, or rather the elegant blade that was on his hip, which brought questions to the young Colonel's mind at that very moment. They were suspicious of about the state he traveled in, but at what expense?

Where did they see the danger in him as he ignored the looks before being addressed to be escorted to his guest quarters for the night.

Although the father of Aria brought up a question, as they were about to retire for the night.

"So tell me, Tatsumi what brings you out here to the heart of the Empire and how did you get a blade like that Saber? I must confess, it looks you put a lot of effort into taking care of such a weapon." The elderly man's gaze was one of interest mainly as the Colonel smiled before trying to avoid the topic of him being an officer of the Imperial Army: people always tended to become forced when revealing such formalities. He hated them, to an extent but he explained a little about his origins as a means to give the man answers.

"When I was young, I left my village far in the east to become a freelancing 'Hero' to earn money to get the debt off my home. I find it ironic that 'Heroes' are no more than mercenaries with a good word and get their jobs done, I had to grow up quite a bit to understand the need that money can assist those in troubles. I wandered around on the Western Frontier doing jobs for the military at times and earning my keep, I even got this Saber for my efforts in assisting one of the Legions stationed there."

The family looked really curious at this point, so he elaborated a bit on hims time within his Legion.

"Ah, my mistake since you probably have never heard of them and all. I worked with one of the Imperial Legions called the 'Sabers' and I had to say, they were one hell of a fighting force to be with. They gave me a presented sword for doing a lot of jobs and I had an impression on the leadership there when we had to put down rebellions or fight to expand the borders of the Empire, it was an eye opening experience for the most part."

Aria's mother happily chimed out, while sipping her wine glass. "The Army is quite the prestigious life if one is to make it to the rank of a General young man. Perhaps you wish to become such a thing in the future, if I may add due to your enthusiasm to expand the Empire. In fact, I'm searching for able bodied men to be sponsored by us to enter the ranks to increase our standings." Tatsumi kind of ignored that last part due to the fact he was high enough on the chain of command to command sponsorships to really prodigal enlistments that could be entered on his admission alone. He hadn't used that authority at all due to the fact, he hadn't actually searched for recruits to join the 'Imperial Sabers' and his command was revoked due to his position in the Capital.

Still he replied again kindly to the elder woman who seemingly was eying his physique now.

"They were good men, mam. Eventually I will join it again but for the moment, I wanted to see the Empire for what it was worth and find the few that followed me out to make a name for ourselves. In fact, I'm hoping to find two friends of mine someday and I wish them good fortunes in wherever they are now."

Aria asked him from his side, "Oh, do you know their names. I'd be happy to lend assistance if we ever come across them in the future."

Tatsumi figured to humor her, why not get an extra set of eyes or ears to find his friends.

"Ieyasu and Sayo, are their names. I'd be more in your debt if you ever tell me of their whereabouts. But I'll confess, I'm quite tired and I hope to travel with you more in the morning, Lady Aria. So I'll bid you a good night and to have sweet dreams..."

He took her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles, making the poor girl go red in the face: making her parents laugh at their daughters reactions. All in all, this seemed like a nice family as the young Colonel excused himself to be led away by a servant who directed him to his room for the night. The bright skies lit with stars as they shined with a purity that few could hope to achieve in their life times.

And Tatsumi felt at ease with himself.

Perhaps their was hope for the Empire yet.

At least until the next morning anyways...

* * *

><p>"<em>Okay! Maybe I was being too optimistic, how can I have hope in people when they spend so much fucking money! God's mercy the horses will die in shame if they lug that much crap around."<em>

Tatsumi 'Saber' could only look on with a mystified expression at the wagon load of things that Aria had bought with her own money and it varied all over the hellish landscape called luxuries. Jewelery, toys and most of all clothing. The young Lady had dragged him around asking about the clothing she could try on and for it was worth, it got annoying after the second time they hit the lingerie store more than once to get a reaction out of him. Hell even the guards escorting them were getting tired from lugging the packages and for what it was worth: he assisted them in loading the packages which got him respectful gazes at their positions.

The young Colonel could only help them, which was a blessing to clean his ears out from Aria's insatiable need for clothing to indulge her desires in some shape or form. But she was smiling, genuinely happy more so than he admitted as he watched over her while ideally making any shadier people back off from their journey across the merchant sector of the Capital City.

Overall it wasn't at all that bad, sure he had some groan worthy moments...

But for the sake of his male pride: the guards were in the same boat as him per say.

It took several hours and what not to be on their way back home, but along the way Tatsumi noticed the various posters of wanted individuals that got his attention immediately. Riding on Noburu, he asked the nearest guard next to his horse about the posters and the answer wasn't disappointing in the slightest. It had been quite some time since he had visited this place and those posters weren't on the walls of various structures much to his hidden interest. Information would nice about those wanted by the Imperial-Law and he felt inclined to understand why.

"Those posters are about Night-Raid, a group of assassins who have been killing people for the past month or so. They've been around for a bit now, targeting people and what not. It is they who have been terrorizing any rich people within the capital and now fear is now so open, for everyone to face in their nightmares. Terror is their weapon and for its worth, its getting to the point its affecting public life. Notice how people are down-ridden as we ride by, many of them have had family or friends killed by them and its only getting worse."

The mans answers made sense to some of the facts he had witnessed, but the idea of a mad group of Assassins killing without purpose was full of shit.

Someone hired them to kill others for power or other selfish gains at the least, he could allow one to be captured alive to be interrogated.

The Empire needed hope and having a mad psychopathic group like Night-Raid would be met with steel and arms to take them down into hell itself. Other than that, he honestly had never heard of this group and for what it was worth: they seemed competent enough to take on the dangers to fight the Politicians of the Capital itself. He looked over at Aria who was viewing a vendor and pointing at a silver inscribed laced ring that held a ruby so pure red, that he'd mistake it as a heart. It seemed to be worth quite a bit of money, as Aria had paid the merchant with a charming smile and a small bag of gold.

She walked over to them and the guards could only snicker at Tatsumi's silent groan of agony.

"I got this for you Tatsumi, here its a gift. That merchant said, this ring is meant as a way for one person to give affection to another back in the olden ways. Before arranged marriages and what not, but I picked it out since it'd look good on you. Will you accept my gift? Please?" No soldiers had the right to refuse gifts, the regulations of uniforms varied Army to Army, General to General and so forth: as results were what mattered. Apart of him wanted to be remain humble in life, but for it wasn't his morals that made him pause.

Her eyes were absolutely glowing with unrestricted happiness, that made him sigh internally: why him? What in the hell did he need a silver like ring to match the uniform that was packed away in his bag even now? In the end he figured it'd be the right thing to say 'yes' to it and just have as a reminder that friends could be made in any place by hope alone. Better to be kind and understanding, than to become an utter ass to those who wished himself good will.

So he smiled and accepted such a gift, kissing the young woman on the back of her hand as a sign of gratitude that made her face flush.

And long story short, he had an expensive ring on his left index finger.

Beyond that the day ended and it seemed like another night was to befall the Capital.

Or so he thought.

* * *

><p>"<em>Something's wrong, its too quiet and I smell blood now. This place is under attack, son of a bitch."<em>

Tatsumi in bed resting when his body tensed as a smell of copper reached his nose. Throwing off the covers, he got his uniform on immediately as his heart raced inside his chest. Blood was being spilled in the very heart of the Empire and he was going to be caught in the crossfire with no sort of reinforcements to secure the perimeter to catch the would-be murderers. Silently sighing to himself to get his body out of the bed, the air around him became stained with the smell of blood.

Rapidly he slipped on his vest and cloak to be prepared once he located the family he was stay with.

His uniform was a bright white tailor made as an officer, with red trimming on the borders of the cloth and having a cape that signified him as a Colonel made his figure stand out in the burning moonlight. Placing his former villages sword onto his back, he gripped the Saber at his side before reaching inside the small parcel of his to remove a certain piece of head gear that made him stood out amongst his fellow soldiers in the field.

A white beret with red lining with the symbol of the Empire in the center its forehead.

Pulling fingerless gloves over his hands, he had the ring in place from Aria as he adjusted the beret for a final time and rushing out of his room. He sprinted along the hallways smelling the copper that was saturating the air around him, as he passed by the windows leading onto the Mansions grounds he witnessed a sight that got his heart racing in fear.

On the outside grounds, a squad of guards were being slaughtered.

A group of figures were standing on something in the air, as two of their comrades were killing the nearly panic stricken guards. That wasn't a fair fight, not in the slightest as his knuckles gripped the handle of his Saber which was giving him urges to cut down the murderers of this family. He had nothing against Aria nor her family, sure they were wealthy but that wasn't' a reason to justify their killings if they weren't already dead. Distantly flashes of steel caught his eyes as he moved with a purpose, speeding through the hallways encountering half-alive bodies that were cut in half.

And soon enough he passed by the gruesome remains of Aria's Mother, who was sliced in half and decapitated in a mockery of a fight. She didn't even have the chance to defend herself, it was sickening to his stomach and he'd find her killer one way or another.

"_Let my faith in the Empire to__ give me strength, for will of the one on the golden throne is with me and I shall end the evil that plagues his domain. For I am the Emperor's sword, and I ask for his will, to have hope to be done."_ Saying a mental prayer, the young Colonel found himself sliding down the grand stair case leading to the main floors, clearly moving towards the outdoors as he heard screams from various guards dying in the background. Shaking his heads he moved to see the faint outlines of Aria vanishing into the grounds out back near the stables and storeroom areas, his heart raced as he sprinted after her.

His eyes could see the escort of a firearm marksmen guard, who was scared in his own right as he tried to protect his ladyship.

Tatsumi literally came flying out behind them.

As a result the guard pointed the weapon at the young Colonel who raised his hand in peace.

"Easy there, guardsmen. I'm not the one invading Aria's home, stand down for a moment. Please."

The man lowered his weapon, as Aria gasped. "Tatsumi is that you? But, but you said you were a traveler and apart of the Armies as a mercenary." He shrugged in response before responding in a formal tone yet clearly having regret laced in his voice as well. "I apologize Lady Aria, but usually I keep my rank to myself since people tend to force their conversations and I wanted a normal one. It wasn't important to mention it ether, but know this: I'm a soldier of the Empire and I will stand against the evil threatening it." He offered a bow of his head to the two citizens, who looked pale more than anything probably due to his reveal of his status.

"What were you planning on doing, to secure Aria's safety guardsmen?"

He asked this clearly and simply, making the man answer quickly.

"To hide there and barricade ourselves inside, to await the authorities who would assist us. We can not make it to the city on our speed alone, it'd be a fool hardy attempt and the lack of men suggest many of my peers are dead."

Tatsumi couldn't fault the logic, it made sense in some way.

"Understood, but it won't matter if its barricaded. They'll just break down the doors or walls, so do me a favor and keep Aria behind you at all times. If anyone tries to get past me, shoot them without any hesitation since I'll be defending the both of you. Try not to panic and you will see the next sun rise again, is that clear?"

The two nodded, as the Colonel turned to face the forward darkness as figures moved within the shade of the woods. Now that was out of the way, the young officer did what he could to steady himself as the assailants of the Manor had come out into an open field just before the woods of the mansion itself. Rolling his shoulders, he kept his hands at his sides to find himself calming down to potentially view the battlefield that was going to be the Manor's own grounds.

"_I guess Night-Raid is brash enough to attack anyone. Not to mention there is some truth left after-all, I don't see why this family has been targeted but, I'll get answers one way or another. I just feel like this is all too sudden and the reasons are not matching up at all."_

Someone appeared in front of him, leaping from the tree's as he witnessed a black attired girl appear with a sword so crimson red it literally glowed in an inhumane light. Feeling shivers crawl up his spine, Tatsumi gripped the hilt of his Saber and held it in a loose grip, slicing a line in the dirt before speaking up in a voice that warranted caution.

"You will not pass this line, Assassin."

The girl's gaze seemingly ignored his statement as she tried to sprint past him, only for his blade to vanish at a speed to force the Assassin back as her gaze widened at the speed of his aim alone. A single crack of 'steel' clashed as the two blades sparked along their lengths as both wielders fought. The girl spoke a single sentence to him as he held her back with a moderate effort.

His time in the 'Imperial Sabers' had pushed his body into acceptable levels of physical ruggedness when one fought in wars.

"You're not a target, step aside."

Tatsumi snorted, before flipping his Blade to lock the girls own weapon onto the ground to avoid her trying to slice at him in any way. "You better rethink that, because as far as I'm concerned: you're a target to me and for that, don't pussy foot around." The Black haired Night-Raid member could only narrow her eyes at the threat that was forcing her away from her target. Grunting she launched herself around the soldier, attempting to bypass his guard directly. Only for another blade to appear in her eyes as she hissed as her arm got cut form a secondary weapon the young man in front of her pulled out. That didn't make her any less happier to see that the soldier was proficient to use dual weaponry.

Rising up Tatsumi kept his gaze cool and collected, with his smaller blade in his left hand and the Saber in right, to keep the girl at bay.

His sudden reveal of the second weapon gave her pause, at the level since a dual wielding opponent got an edge over a single weapon user in melee combat. Shields were good to an extent but dual blades, gave the fatal edge one needed to win a duel. Inhaling slightly, he noticed movement behind as the rest of the Assassin's were coming to the location. Without any sort of reinforcements, he'd have to hold off a small group of an unknown amount of time.

He buried a chill of uneasiness, as the girl glared at him fully for the blood slipping down her shoulder.

Expertly she flipped her blade, before launching herself at him.

Parrying the attack, Tatsumi slashed at his assailant numerous times forcing her to peddle backwards, as he kept avoiding the blade since it screamed 'unnatural' to his mind and his instincts were screaming at him to stay back. His heart rate sky rocketed as he stopped suddenly to see how far he was from the trembling Aria and Guardsmen, the two were watching the spectacle with pale faces.

Moving backwards to avoid a narrow decapitation, the Colonel moved back to his sword drawn line in the dirt.

Panting a bit, his arms were going numb from blocking that weapon of that girls. It was downright pushing him to his limits to keep up with this Assassin, Night-Raid had some insane dangers to their members it seemed and things were only going to heat up, as he witnessed an Armored Humanoid drop to the girl's side as if intrigued by her lack of kills. The voice was metallic but raspy, similar to a males but held a beast like quality to it that got Tatsumi on guard. These items that these assassins held were starting to make sense, these things weren't just weapons. His limbs felt like lead weights, no wonder it hurt to block the strength of that girl and the answers hit him full on like an enemy calvary charge.

They were Teigu.

"_Oh fucking hell! No wonder these Assassins were dicing their way through the guards, these guys are actual Teigu-Users and that's the only thing I've gotten to be terrified off since the rumors of the Ice Demon when I just enlisted into the Army. Oh son of a bitch, this blows so much crap."_

Sacred Imperial Arms, that even he was dreaded to dare face in combat and his stomach lurched knowing he had been dueling with Death. It damn well got him fearful as the man's voice spoke up, clearly amused and rather curious when facing him. His armor didn't seem to have any signs to be pierced by his Saber, which he doubted he would do much against the powerful weapons of the First Emperor himself.

"**It's been awhile to see someone forcing you off Akame, you losing your touch?**"

The girl looked up, clearly bored.

"No. He's just a competent opponent, I don't think he realizes whose he's defending. It'd be a shame to kill him."

The humanoid armor Teigu user looked at Tatsumi's passive form, as if gauging the stance alone. It made the young Colonel wince as his arm throbbed from considering to defend against such a massive armored warrior. The steel like metal accented the man's form behind the suit, he looked simply like a monster if one had to make guesses on a physical level and that monstrous spear just added to the hell that could be made. Plus that massive spear like weapon didn't make the idea of fighting in close combat any less appealing.

"**I got to say, its pretty nostalgic to see an Officer commit to defending a person. But no offense, little guy, your in the way of our target. No hard feelings, since she's going to die. Either step away or get crushed.**"

That ultimatum just made Tatsumi narrow his eyes, Teigu users or not: he would fight until his body was underneath the ground.

"Tough talk from the guy in armor, who doesn't have the honor to fight in a straight up duel. Take your suggestions and fuck off."

The humanoid armored Teigu user just whistled, "**What a foul mouth, man you got guts but I can respect that."**

Raising his weapons, the Colonel got into the most reactionary defensive stance he could possibly get into.

The next turn of this battle wouldn't be the matter of pushing the enemy back, but merely prolonging this battle to await the reinforcements that would come from the Capital City's guard at the least and hopefully, see that next sunrise. Clutching both of his weapons tightly, he stared unflinching at both of the Assassins of Night-Raid with no regrets other than to fight them off, he could assume what they were feeling as the Armored Teigu flashed forward raising his spear into an overhead arch of destruction.

Tatsumi leapt back clearly avoiding it, as he parried a strike from the girl who looked annoyed at his prevention to get at Aria, as she was against the storeroom granite wall. The other guard fired several shots as the armored Teigu lazily blocked them from his face, it just screamed an unfairness that the young Colonel hated more than anything. Pivoting on his right ankle, the dual sword user forced off the black girl to just barely avoid getting cut in half from the Armored User, who just seemingly hefted the spear onto his shoulder as if taking a moment to penetrate the defense had he mustered against the two of them.

Needless to say, Tatsumi still hadn't let them cross the dirt line he had forged minutes ago.

And it started to show as sweat dripped down his neck, the strain he had to contend with to fight these super-powered monsters would eventually get him killed in reality. But he had no other choice, if he didn't then another murder would be caused and the that would inexcusable to allow such an injustice to occur. The safeguard of the Imperial citizens made this fight all the more reason to give it all his effort.

The two vanished as his eyes widened in shock to see the two Assassins on his flanks!

"_Shit! I'm going to get ruffed up now!"_

Immediately he leaned back, as his knees bent at the lowest possible degree possible making his eyes witness the spear and the blade of the girl nearly slice his head into a pulp. Cringing as his limbs cracked with pain, the young officer performed a diagonal lunge to get away from the two, as they looked over in shock to see him panting heavily as he avoided yet another death blow. The two Night-Raid Assassins were narrowing their gazes clearly trying to figure out the level that the Army Soldier was displaying before them.

"Is that the best you two can do to me? Ganging up, trying to overpower one person?"

He taunted them out of his own frustrations to fight on an even level with them, perhaps getting them angrier would expose sloppy mistakes? At this point, any longer he was going to get messed up and badly at that. Teigu were dangerous in the normal scenario when having an army fight against a user, but having nothing other than a single soldier stand against a pair of them was suicidal. Nothing could be done other than to die in the best manners possible, since a single person could not hand two of these things at once without a Teigu of their own.

"Why do you defend that girl? Do you know of what her family and she has done personally? I was not aware that soldiers defended evil corrupted nobles."

And the armored user commented a bit curious as well.

"**I'd have to agree with Akame here, you are skilled and very well versed in swordsmanship but you're trying to save a person who tortures other for amusement. I hope you understand that girl's family is responsible for dozens who were taken into their 'care' off the streets.**"

Tatsumi blinked curiously, as the intent of their purpose made him pause. His eyes were gauging the two as they stood casually watching him, as he heard movement from his right-hand side. Flipping his Saber, the Colonel pointed at the sight of a familiar woman who he had meant from earlier. However she looked rather...

Looked like a hybrid humanoid animal?

"Leone?"

That hesitant question made the blond woman in question, clap her hands in amazement. "Oh its you from the bar, Tatsumi was it? Oh dear, this is quite the place to run into you here and hell, its pretty shocking to me. Talk about awkward as hell, right?" For several minutes silence reined in the clearing, as the Colonel's hair overshadowed his eyes making him appear to have slumped forward. A breeze picked up as the Assassins felt their spines tingle from the gaze of the Army Officer who glared at them with one of his eyes, which was pulsing with an anger so unholy that all three of them took a step back as a killing intent leveled them down.

An intent dead set on making them nothing more than food for the crows, if give the chance,

"I see how it is now. Using me, my very own kindness to help the people of the Empire as a means to an end. How disgusting..." Hissing out each word, his gaze made the animal teigu user feel like she was staring down the grim-reaper itself. A hatred so potent and so utterly crushing, her heart kept pace with the anxiety that set her instincts screaming at her to flee. Even her other two compatriots were somewhat wary of her arrival to cause such an intense change in the young man. Her body tensed as he started to smile, coldly at their frozen forms.

While he had no Teigu, Tatsumi's body could covert his hatred of corruption in a driving force that made him well known in the Western Territories of the Empire as his Legion had crushed rebellions that openly challenged the corrupt system. His job was to crush the hopes of the many, to satisfy the few that denied those rights and it got to hated himself more so than anything more on this plane of life.

"Hey take it easy, take it easy Tatsumi. I'm not here to kill you, were after that girl behind you and the rest of her family. They've been on a hit-list for a while and someone gave us the contract to kill them off, do you want to know why?"

Again silence was met, as the young man merely stepped forward flipping his two blades hell intent on ending one of their lives. His eyes were so cold that it reminded the three of various demons that were inside their own pasts, Tatsumi 'Saber' had arrived from the depths of his heart in order to crush the evil that was facing him down. Memories of villages burning, rebels being slaughtered and his orders to make examples of them were flashing before his vision. As fires and smoke filled his senses, the Colonel who was a fair man had become a war-mongering warrior that would not back down from the foes before him.

He began to utter words that made the Armored Teigu stiffen, which got his other two comrades to look on curiously.

"Soldiers we are, we the 'Imperial-Sabers' do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down, _ever..._"

The Colonel began to move, slowly towards them as he flipped his weapons to flash them in the bright moonlight as several droplets of blood went down the Sabers length.

All three Night-Raid members watched before immediately trying to quell the soon to be offensive soldier, they were not here to kill him but to slay the corrupted nobility that had destroyed so many lives beforehand. They needed a chance to convince him and a chance to open this soldiers eyes to the reality that he was about to defend. Without Justice, there wasn't a chance to hope for a better future for the Empire. All of them saw a potential ally to join, to find those to rally under their banner.

"**Enough! If you wish to see Injustice, then look inside that building behind you and see what the true face of Evil is and you will realize what you are defending. I give you my word and honor, that behind those doors will you see what you are trying to save...**"

Tatsumi stopped exactly three meters away from the Night-Raid members, his foot barely before the line drawn in the dirt. His cold hardened eyes were unyielding as he stared at them, his interest peaked at the continued reluctance of them fighting him. Twitching his jawline, the young man spoke out a single warning. His gaze reminded several of a person that they wished not to remember and it gave them the frozen fear to witness anger so justified.

"If you as so as much take a step towards Aria when I have my back turned, I will take you all down someway and somehow."

He wanted to fight, but that urge of curiosity was there. That validation of their own intents were within reach of his mind, so he would do what they asked since they asked of him to see what the evil in the Capital was. Snorting he moved towards the locked doors, before looking at the two people had 'known' for the past day or so. Aria looked like a ghost as her knees collapsed in on themselves sending her to the dirt. Some sort of truth must have been said from the Assassins, so he checked the other person he was defending.

And the guard was frozen at his appearance, but he saw him trembling.

Again, how odd of these people.

"What's behind this door?"

He asked the both of the two people next to him once was within a foot of the entrance.

Not one of them spoke and Tatsumi growled in his throat, as he slammed his boot into the wooden frame sending it backwards with a mighty 'boom' and allowed the moonlight to slip inside to unveil the darkness within. Evil had many faces, he knew in his heart that the citizens of the Empire were not perfect. But he believed these assassins were wrong, corruption from this family would be a far-cry from the people he had...

"_Oh my god...this is..."_

The smell hit him first.

As the rotting flesh of dozens within a space of a dungeon.

Sounds of the groans of the dying that were filling his eardrums like a disgusting water.

As the finale was the sight of mangled, scarred, crushed bodies of people who were either regular folks or what not. His mind refused to process of the female inhabitants as he stepped through the doorway into hell itself, with impaled bodies reaching up at him as if the damned were pleading for mercy. His eyes took in the familiar crucified bodies of those country men that were of his blood, his very protection was to stop atrocities like this from happening and it was allowed! It was allowed, allowed under his soon to be post and for what it was worth...

"_THIS __WILLINGLY WAS ALLOWED TO OCCUR!"_

Gnashing his teeth together, Tatsumi's graze hardened to the point where blood seeped through his lips staining the ground with his ungodly like rage that coursed into his veins. The true face of evil wasn't on some distant frontier, some random village or local Governor outside the heart of the Empire. His body trembled as the others behind him watched his reactions, fear, anxiety and sadness all drifted towards the Colonel whose goal in life was to give out Hope to the people as a means to have a better tomorrow for the Empire itself. The Imperial capital of the Empire was supposed to be the very center of country that gave all the chance to become great.

But now...

Evil and corruption became the heart, the true face of the Empire.

Oh and it would change.

Tatsumi vowed to change this _sickness_ that plagued the country he pledged to protect.

And he would start with the source of this madness...

"You sick, degenerate bastards. What gives you the right to do this, who decides to play with lives as if they were nothing more than toys? EXPLAIN THIS ARIA!"

His demand for answers went unsaid.

Until an old voice, a familiar one came to his aid.

"That...voice, you sound like Tatsumi...is that you?"

The Colonel froze in his spot, as he looked towards a cell to see a mangled figure stumble to the bars. His eyes were in disbelief as Tatsumi could only stare on in confusion to see the scarred tortured soul who seemed like someone so long ago: appear before him as if this reality, was just a nightmare. A bad dream that had to be known, his lips quivered and his throat constricted. There was no way in hell, that this could be the same person he knew all those years ago.

"Ieyasu?"

"_No, No, No..."_

The battered teen looked at him wide eyes, in disbelief and utter relief. It looked like the boy thought Tatsumi was god given the form of retribution as he stood there with dual swords, with blood trailing down its length and for that alone made the Officer look around for another heart wrenching sight. He could only fall to his knees as tears went down his cheeks.

There hanging overhead, in front of him was a beauty of a girl with a familiar face shadowed by hair that he once saw years ago.

Sayo...

Everything he had thought he had known for hope, was dying and everything he had hoped for was spat back in his face. The Empire was dying, it was sickened, it was disgusting and it was going to change one way or another by his hands alone. Sheer rage consumed his sight as he heard his best friend from the past in the village of his birth speak to him, almost insanely drenched with grief. He had witnessed the torture of the woman in front of him hanging, like a loose wiped piece of meat.

Scars marred her flesh.

Her breasts were cut away leaving rotting patches of muscle.

Below along with her intestines hanging like a mocking display and her genital area was burned into a black mush of flesh.

"We came here several days ago...that bitch took us and the next thing we do...is wake up here."

He ignored the ramblings of his friends, staring at the forms of the two _people_ that he had come to know. Past memories were torn asunder as he launched himself at the guard who tried to pull the trigger only for his corpse to fall to the ground without his head. Blood spilled onto the building as his boots stepped in to the red liquid, leaving prints of his naivety behind him as his hopes for the Empire were becoming a warped representation of the world. He ignored the pleading of the blond haired girl in front of him. Her words muted, his eyes seeing red and his rage to have Justice fought for, entrapped his soul.

She went onto her knees, begging and crying her eyes out as he appeared before her.

"...Nor do we fail to purge Evil in our sights. It will be purged, regardless of its face and what it says to me. Burn in hell and leave nothing but the damned to claim their vengeance upon your own soul."

Aria's face was of shock as his blades sliced her skull into multiple pieces of flesh...

Two slashes, four pieces of bone, brain matter and blood split open like a popped balloon.

And that was it.

Nothing but a burning passion of anger that didn't subside, he wanted to purge more of these disgusting degenerates that formed the heart of the Empire. He would cut them out for sure now, no one in hell would get in his way after the blood he would spill to save this country. He would do what he had to do, in order to be loyal to the Empire yet have the mantle of responsibility to save it from itself. He would not betray the Emperor nor his Legion, he would find a way. He had to or the sights behind his back, would never stop.

Inhaling deeply, he turned to his last surviving friend to see the bars keeping him contained.

"I'll get you out, Ieyasu hold on."

An answer came within a moment.

"I got it, just wait."

Before he did anything, Leone came from behind him to suddenly bend the bars opposite ways in order to get the battered semi-living teen out of his cell. She handed him to Tatsumi who wordlessly took the younger boy, keeping him at peace with his head cradled tenderly. He felt so hopeless, so numb and just so out of it he gripped the boys hand, trying to say something for this madness that had occurred. After his time in the service of the Empire, he'd been unable to see the Evil that would claim the lives of his former friends.

"...Shit you look...bad-ass Tatsumi..."

The soft whizzed words came out as blood leaked from the side of the half dead teens mouth. Tatsumi could only watch with a silent horror to see his friend, his last friend dying in his arms and without a means to help him pass on. So he gripped the hand of his best friend, his childhood brother in all but blood to ease his passage onto the next life. What more could he do to assist the easing of death onto one, who did not deserve such a fate?

"Thanks, man. You look like shit, if I had to say something."

Ieyasu chuckled weakly, "No kidding...thanks for killing that..."

Another cough and blood leaked onto the floor, staining the Colonel's sleeve but it didn't matter.

"...At least promise me...you'll fight for us, to fight for our village..."

Tatsumi immediately replied, "I will. I promise you and Sayo will be buried back home, underneath that giant tree we made our vow as kids. I swear I will change the Empire, for you, for Sayo and for everyone who wants to become a Hero. I swear it, Ieyasu. Please do not worry about me or anything else, I will do it for us and for everyone back home. Just rest and understand that my promises will not be in vain, ever."

The teens eyes dimmed as if he were traveling further away.

"Thanks...Tatsumi, you always came through on your promises. I'll see you at the bar and get you a drink..."

The boys eyes dimmed to the point where they fogged over.

Tatsumi bowed his head, "I'll hold you to it, brother. I'll see you then."

The last heart beat echoed in his ears, as Ieyasu died in peace.

Both of his childhood friends were dead, nothing could bring them back and he didn't have a chance to say goodbye to Sayo either. He just could only sit there amongst the dead, wondering why such a thing had to occur in this life. Why did the Evil that plagued the Empire had to be in its heart, why did the Corruption suddenly become so thick that his ideals for Hope were nothing but a fluke. It just seemed so pointless, so utterly empty see the life vanish out of a person the same age as him.

Sighing to himself, the Colonel regained his emotional control before allowing several tears to drop.

Stoically wiping his face away, he stood up putting his friends arms into a respectful position as he prayed for his soul passage into the heavens. Nothing more mind numbing was this, it just screamed like insanity but the reality was: that evil was alive and well in the Empire. He had to stop it, somehow and someway he had too in order to see that country he loved wouldn't collapse to the tyranny within.

It just hurt to see his old friends like this: to die in the most hellish possible way.

"I apologize if I caused you trouble for you Night-Raid. I'll make sure to cover your traces with a report I'll file once I'm apprehended at this site. I ask of you to please, flee now." He spoke to the silent trio of people watching his reactions, they were evaluating him as Leone came over behind his back. His vision was on the forms of the dead and tortured below, seeing their faces burned into his memory for the rest of his natural life. What hell could be allowed by God to exist on this earth, why did it have to be allowed?

Warmth enveloped his back, making him stare to see the blond humanoid female smile at him.

"You should come with us, you have the skills Tatsumi to stand as an Assassin. Not to mention you'd fit well with us, at least in the sense you hate the Empire right? You have potential to really, really grow stronger than you are now."

This offer was unexpected as the Colonel frowned.

"I'm a soldier of the Empire, I do not desert my post. I'm stationed here in the Capital now and if I flee, I'll be branded as a traitor. I love the Empire, as an ideal but right now I can't abandon those like _this_ here to their fates. It's just a bad idea Leone, please don't try to convince me."

The armored Teigu user came up, he lifted his spear to attached itself to his armor.

"**Do you have a copy of your orders? You're not a general, so its to be expected for you to have extra time to reach a post. Let me take a look at that, it won't even count as giving away military secrets for the hell of it.**"

Tatsumi moved to his parcel, fishing out the parchment that unraveled before the Night-Raid members mask. He gently took the paper before skimming the lines as Leone tried to shamelessly rub his back with her breasts, it got him distracted off the forms of his dead friends. Although it caused parts of his body to head her challenge, as much as it pained his heart to ignore the fresh wounds underneath his hands right now.

"Please stop that."

The third Night-Raid member came up and poked the feline woman in her ribs to get her to back off Tatsumi's back, it was a welcomed gesture. Sheathing his blade into its scabbard, the Saber was fit at his side once again as he walked out of the rotting building. He just wanted some time to process these new events, it just really made things hard to understand at the moment. Friends that were there at the beginning of his ventures out of the village, to join the Imperial Army were dead due to the system that was in place. A system he needed to start to change, so did he start here?

"Is he going to come with us?"

Leone asked the armored Teigu user who replied, in a relaxed tone.

"**According to these orders, you have another week and five days to report to the Imperial Palace. I'd say this gives him time to consider joining us or what not. Personally, its a blessing he has time to consider it at all and we should take him with us. The boss will certainly like to speak with him, based on what I've seen already..."**

Being outnumbered, literally by Teigu users would be a death sentence if he tried to resist. Genuinely these people were being honest, so talking to their leader would be a start of something he could use. Still, for the sake of arguments purposes Tatsumi again tried to reason with them.

"I still think its a terrible idea. But if you insist that much, let me get my horse and I shall come with you. I'd rather talk on my own free will than to be forced, I can't overpower any of you due to your teigu. So please give me a moment..."

Maybe the start of change, began with his decisions.

And with that the meeting with Night-Raid would begin.

Tatsumi could only imagine what the repercussions of his next actions would do.

**End Chapter One**

**Author's Note: **Please Review dear readers, just really ask questions or point out things. Compliments are fine and all, but I really want you to point out the nooks, crannies so I can improve on that. I like writing but I like those to be Criticizing (Within Reason/Clarity) about whatever you see.

"Before you say, why did Tatsumi willingly go with Night-Raid? Isn't he supposed to be the Loyal, Prideful, Undeterred soldier that you made him out to be?" - He went with them because of that reasoning. He can't fight _five _**or**_ six _Teigu users at once, without anyone of his own and for that scenario alone it'd be stupid to try. Not to mention, Tatsumi is a Colonel whose lead an _Armies _**or**_ a Legion_ in this case and to have a level-minded decision making is what prevails to those in charge of many. He understands Night-Raid's infamy so far, or rather what they do based on the information from the guard/posters about it.

I say **understand, **not **knowing** what they're trying to do.

There is a big difference between Knowing and Understanding.

I'm not justifying everyone's expectations to see this story as complete AU (Alternate Worlds by Awesomenorwegian) dove into that from the very beginning, I respect him and enjoy that story. I'm doing the complete opposite, now that I kind of see what I've done so far, in writing ahead of this post. I'm starting linear into an expanding world, where things will split off at times then come back to events keyed into the manga but the kicker in the future here, is that eventually...

Night-Raids members (Mine. Akame. Bulat. Najenda. Lubbock. Leone.) will be trying to kill him, for what reasons: I will not say but this information is here to stop the Flaming Bull-Crap (Stupid questions and validity of my intentions) about handling Tatsumi.

These first few chapters are in a way going to challenge Tatsumi's loyalty to the Emperor (And his Empire) more so than he's encountered. Plus he's far more competent to agreeing with Night-Raid on his reasons to see them, while he hasn't heard of them during his time out in the Western Territories, he's got his own motives. I know many are expecting the total AU split from Canon and that will occur as stated above earlier.

But I wanted pacing, the 'Imperial-Sabers' won't become more involved into this story until the Three-Beasts Arc (two-three chapters off I hope, so be patient) as I develop his attitude towards Esdeath's enforcers. Things he will be experiencing are deviating from canon, give you the readers more insight to the character that is Tatsumi and for what is worth, it will make you question his actions/motives/feelings later on in the story itself. So, be a bit prepared for differences in the beginnings of his encounter with Night-Raid.

Obviously later on, you will see different fears/loyalties/premonitions of what Tatsumi has experienced before being a 'Colonel' for the Empire. So don't be impatient as I build up Tatsumi for this story, eventually again this will branch out. I want those initial bonds with Night-Raid for a good reason, as you'll discover a more cautious side of Najenda for dealing with a Loyal Soldier that is an Experienced one by that and she's a former General, so expect some interesting conversations with them. At least initially and throughout it.

I only ask that you wait, stop the obvious questions and review, your thoughts on what you think about this.

The next update will be in the early stages of November, since I'll keep on writing ahead to maintain a decent clip.

I have hope in those who will see what I'll be doing, so until then have a good day and be safe.


	3. Chapter II

(**A/N: **An anonymous person sent me a link to the picture of the New Story Image; my thanks to you for finding me that.)**  
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**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber**

**Chapter Two**

"So this boy, 'Colonel Saber' which is his formal title amongst the Military of the Empire. The Commander of the Legion called the 'Imperial-Sabers' and directly under the command of the Western Great-General Budo, despite his status as Commander-in-Chief at the Capital. Colonel Saber was tasked in suppressing any rebellions that were to arise once the main armies swept past the borders to expand, at least initially. The Western Territories populations have come to know the man as a fair person and has been at odds with certain policies that the current Prime Minister has issued. But he's directly responsible for thousands of deaths. Mine is just going to love this guy, we should ignore that part to be fair Boss..."

Lubbock read out loud,as various paperwork marred the desk that he was gathering intelligence from all the spies across the Empire. He was reading the known facts about Night-Raids newest 'prospect' as it were and the person in charge of their group was curious behind the rise of such a person amongst them. His presence made several of their members more wary than others. Could Night-Raid accept such a current individual amongst their ranks without the need to question his loyalties. This Colonel Saber literally seemed to be the prodigal son that the Empire had craved for decades; without the taint of corruption or self-gained powers to punish the ones who provided to the central system of government.

Such potential.

It was so much of it and that had powerful forces, studying him in an incredibly dangerous manner.

Playing with fire, only gave the one holding so much time before they got burnt.

And to play with such a valued asset, how long would they have being being burned?

Again as always Lubbock certainly could admit to himself while a bit younger than himself, this Tatsumi, the boy had become a rising military power amongst the Empire's top ranks. Within several years, he had done many things that few Generals could have done in his shoes at their ages and these deeds were going to grow because of his status. One Legion, wasn't enough to spread news but it was a start.

Casually reading off the reports to his boss, the lovely and attractive Najenda who captured his heart when he was a young lad as the son of a merchant. He could see the praise and admiration of his skills in his boss's remaining eye as she listened to him give out his report. Details, information and attentive opinions were what he could use to his advantage to garner Night-Raid, its means for planning for operations. He did this without complaint, only to have the glorious dream that was sitting front of him within his reach.

It made his heart sore to one day in the future: to get the Boss, to love him.

"His enlisted records show that at the age of Nine he entered the army as a runner for messages. Eventually he gained more experience and became a deadly fighter, small but increasingly hard to eliminate once a cluster of men fought out in the field. No special abilities related to Teigu, he learned the old fashion way and used his body to continuously grow. By the age of thirteen he was a young Lieutenant amongst a Legion stationed in the South East and from there his progression sky rockets into something unreal..."

Lubbock trailed off while shifting through papers as he tried to find anything more interesting. He watched as Najenda merely relax in her chair, her tobacco pipe smoking calmly as he smirked to himself. He prided himself on finding answers once he had too for his, love interest and he'd be damned to let her down. Shifting through several more pieces of paperwork the young man finally found something more _unique_ about the 'Colonel Saber' that was known in the Western Region on the Empire's territories. Coincidentally that part of the Empire had been _quiet_ and _passive_ towards the Imperial Garrisons stationed through that large mass of land, which brought questions about how it came about.

Reading word to word, the information gather of Night-Raid kept his face neutral about whatever that lay on those papers.

"At the age of sixteen he was promoted to Colonel under orders from the Great-General Budo and sent to the Western Regions. He was tasked with a force of Ten-thousand soldiers to form a legion and just basically be a moving local police force, tasked on suppressing the unstable provinces that local bureaucratic Governors could not hold. In a report sent to one of the Empires command group, a witness stated: "_Colonel Saber, the 'Just' is a soldier who has no equal amongst Integrity. His presence alone makes all those who rebel against the current regime of the Emperor stand down, as he gives them a chance to redeem themselves to be loyal subjects. I ask that Colonel 'Saber' become a General at once to lead a movement of recruitment to secure the Empire's future in years too come."_ That's the end of that account, Boss. I think this guy is a high risk to recruit since Budo himself has issued orders regarding his career so early in his life."

Nejenda smiled, "Don't be jealous, Lubbock. Please go on, I won't think less of you for it."

Her subordinate snorted, disregarding such a thing as the woman beckoned him to continue as she enjoyed the tobacco to ease her past wounds. Her interest was peaking at this 'Saber' soldier and for once, her mind was debating whether to use him as an inside source for information within the capital. Using the idea of 'hiding in plain sight' forte to secure intelligence operations would be amazing to have with the Revolutionary Army but at the moment their guest wasn't very amendable. Then again when you forcefully kidnap someone against their will, that result occurred and he could understand the reaction of the Colonel who was currently in the stables outside of the base.

Saber just hadn't made any attempts to speak to them without feeling pissed off about, the this course of action.

"Continuing the reports, Colonel 'Saber' is a hopeless Idealist that wishes to rid the Empire's infrastructures of Corruption or, yadda-yaddam, general bullshit and this dumb hazing remark..."

The young man skimmed over another page, ignoring the stupid details that wouldn't be much help in determining his alignment with the Empire itself. So far he seemed like a preferable ally, to be get into Night-Raid to inspire those people that Hope was coming to them. And not to mention, his potential connections would be very well to be done. Najenda found herself in a deja-vu moment when seeing the picture of herself as an Officer of the Empire. That pride in serving, the utter feeling of self-fulfillment become an icon for her troops to follow and to search for that glory on the field of battle. It made her smirk bitterly, she could see where he might mend up in the future.

This boy was following in her footsteps, whether he knew it or not.

"Ah here's another things that's interesting Boss. This is a report of what the 'Imperial-Sabers' are based on; their rules about certain _conquests_ that many of the Armies have their ways with. According to this: they're model soldiers when defeating rebellions and what not. During one of their smaller campaigns of a chain to chain village rebellion uprising, an Imperial Artist from the Capital had been saved by their soldiers. And so he painted an actual picture with their consent after a battle, not to mention a due to that event, a poem was written about them in this particular moment." Just then a large piece of parchment fellow onto Lubbock's hands and the result was so startling he couldn't help the disbelief creep into his tone. The artwork wasn't half bad but the details of what they pertaining too was what made this unreal.

"Holy shit, you're going to be interested in this Boss..."

Lubbock leaned against the desk of his superior before flipping over an image of a village burning in the background. The flames were licking up into the sky with several crucified people amongst the buildings, with the line of armored Imperial Soldiers watching the blame, with a single man in front of the line with a beret. His weapon as dug blade first into the ground with his head bowed at the sight of the burning settlement.

Najenda studied the expressions of the soldiers which were a far cry from the rabble that mainly formed the back bone of the Empire itself.

The level of detail was unreal.

This artist of whoever that been rescued, was employed had captured the facial expressions of the men so well: it made it real.

And that wasn't even the kicker!

It was the Imperial-Sabers themselves that were the key to this picture.

These men were crying, in shame or was it grief?

All of these men in this picture were bowing their heads: disgusted perhaps?

Lubbock grinned at Najenda's face, her look of concentration made her look quite the looker in his opinion and he'd say a small prayer for her to lean forward a bit. Oh her chest was so close yet so far, as much as he fantasized about those heavenly mounds: he had a job too do. So for that he began to read something that even he could respect, which was damned near far and in-between when it came down to the current Empire now.

Clearing his throat, the former merchant son read off on something that caused the Head of Night-Raid to ponder about.w She had not heard of such a thing, that ideal would be borderline treasonous to the Prime Minister if he took it the wrong way and for that end alone: Najenda carefully tried to understand what these words meant.

"The 'Imperial-Sabers' have a saying amongst themselves, '_Soldiers we are: we the 'Imperial-Sabers' do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down,_ _ever.' _Their Legion is basically, a fanatic devotion to glory and honor in the sense that they do not like underhanded tactics. However its noted, Boss, that they will do it in order to secure victory because of the enemy's own tenacity to use such things. Funny thing is, they do **not **commit looting nor the rape of prisoners after a campaign, Colonel Saber usually executes such rabble from his ranks and many are sympathetic to the ideals of: Hope and Justice for the Empire."

Lubbock snorted near the end of it all, what a pipe dream this guy had.

Made him wonder what drugs were pumped into this poor bastards, mother when his father fucked her.

The guy sounded like an idealist that wanted to reject reality but in the end, it came to bite him on the ass. It was commendable and noble to try to instill a sense of fairness to the world if War was to come to it, he could respect that but to change the Empire itself? Again the young man scoffed mentally, it was a fools dream to change those in power because they had become nothing more than monsters. He had a feeling, that the young Colonel would do something to shake the cage as it were in the Capital. Moving onward back to his reports, he could see that his superior was quite interested about the workings of this Legion in the Western lands and hell he'd indulge her for some details.

He loved gathering this information, it was too easy.

"Also, its stated that the Prime Minister wants all rebels who actively rose up to be humiliated, bound and nailed to crosses as a message to the rest of insurgents waiting in the wings, Boss. At least in that Legion of soldiers, 'Saber' himself made deals with prisoners to get their loved ones away and allow them to bear the burden of sacrifice. In other words, he tries to soften the blow against the people and they are said to respect him for such mercies. Many try to emulate his soldiers, at least within that Region of the Empire and many politicians are frightened of such sway of his actions. This has put him at odds with the current regime on how to force populations back into the Empire, but due to his huge successful submission of unstable regions: he gets off Scot-free. Crazy bastard, boss and I'm starting to like him..."

Najenda again smiled, "You're really jealous aren't you Lubbock? Come now, you just wanted to do something like this to get my eyes on you. Is that right?"

The young man shrugged helplessly not trying to deny such a thing from the elder woman. His reluctance made the former general of the Empire smile at his tough guy 'image' which was just a front to hide his own feelings for this type of person that was sitting inside their guest quarters. Apart from their own drama and playful admissions, the silver haired beauty could only lean back in her seat before, something came up from her long time subordinate which was a question that was common between them.

"Do you feel we can use him, for both the Revolution and the Empires changes?"

The young man's face was serious, he kept his gaze trained on the woman who tapped her pipe absently.

"Possibly not, he is still too loyal to the 'idea' of what the Empire should be. This is one highly dangerous game that we're stepping into here, more so than usual. Are the risks worth the rewards if we can fully use this boy's status within the Empire and further more, how far can we push him to see that without the need to have him betray us? This Revolution that change brings, it will never come from within the Empire itself. We'll have to be careful, to say the least."

She rubbed her chin in thought while looking up at the ceiling which gave her some solace as the smoke drifted aimlessly in her study. The former general could feel that burning desire within her chest to remind her of her past devotion to the Imperial Glory, it was an ideal that made the evils within the Empire to be placed aside. A small part of her regretted in leaving a life of leadership and recognition behind but it was natural mainly. So she continued to stay silent, debating on whether to induct the rising icon into Night-Raid as an Assassin of all things. His skills seemed pretty far up there for a non-Teigu user and that alone, piped her interest again.

It just seemed so off-hand that it hardly made sense for a bit.

"Is there anything more about him specifically, Lubbock. Anyone of interest he was seen involved with or rather, people interested in him sides that old Lightning Geezer."

She still smirked, that nickname of Budo would stick with her until hell claimed her in its fiery embrace, past lives were difficult to let go at times of nostalgic good times. Inhaling her pipe, the woman sat there overlooking the facts on this man they had gathered so far and for what it was worth: Tatsumi 'Saber' practically fit their criteria to join the Revolutionary Army in the near future. It was nearly painful to ignore such a potential ally in this time of gathering all the strength to get the Empire to change for the better. They had to fight, for change and to do that: they needed all the soldiers on their side to do such a thing.

But her mental musings got cut short, as Lubbock went pale as his hand quivered at a particular piece of paper under his gaze. Not often did the young man show an expression of terror, rarely open feelings were just dramatic antics but his skin tone was paling as blood was fleeing from all portions of his face. Sweat lined his neck as he seemingly couldn't form a coherent sentence other than a warning, which spoke volumes about what got him rattled that bad.

"Boss. You're going to have to reconsider..."

That was all he said.

So when he placed the last significant piece of Tatsumi 'Saber' down onto her desk: her eye throbbed painfully.

Najenda's gaze narrowed coldly at the image of a blue haired General, who was seen as the Strongest of the Empire in the current period. Nothing could stop that demonic entity of a frozen hell-spawn without dying in the process. Her artificial metal limb clenched the arm of her chair, nearly crushing the sturdy wood into splinters. She began to read the words out loud, making the already pale Lubbock cringe from the frostiness on his boss's voice, for good reason as well. This was the very same woman that froze her limb into pieces of bones and icicles, along with scarring her right eye. He kept his silence out of respect for the woman to have a growing anger, he could imagine what she was thinking.

An old colleague turned into an arch nemesis from hell itself.

"In recent times, Great-General Budo was requested to transfer Colonel 'Saber' to the Capital under the stipulation that General Esdeath will deal with the Northerners at the summit of the frozen tundras. His precaution on the grounds of expanding the borders of the Empire, to get assistance with the threat within the icy regions. He agreed to such a transfer and as such, at the current time-frame Colonel 'Saber' will report under the direct Command of General Esdeath once her time amongst the Northern Campaign is dealt with. Furthermore the Emperor signed the orders himself at the request of the Great-General so no bureaucratic influences will be nullifying the stipulation. Basically..."

Najenda looked up at the window where several birds were flying freely amongst the skies.

"We have Esdeath's new interest with us. Right now."

Lubbock could only ask a single question, trying to calm down his nerves.

"So boss, you want to still want to meet and ask him if he wants to join?"

Silence was met for a few more moments...

Until she looked up at the waiting young man.

* * *

><p>Sitting at a water draw Tatsumi had filled a massive bucket full of water to clean Noburu as the horse fed from feed inside the stables. His uniform was packed away neatly in his small bag, so he was wearing his casual shirt and pants, along with the armored boots that were officially part of his uniform. He needed to keep himself busy, a need to continue onward with his goals and to get his control back under wraps. The sudden shock had been too much, too much strain and too much stress finally caused him to angrily yell out to the heavens about the cruelty of the world. Old friends that were dying, leaving him nearly alone in the life that he wanted to succeed in.<p>

He had so much faith to make it a better place but at the expense of losing all he cared for was starting to take a toll on his psyche.

Exhaling sharply he moved the heavy volume of water to the stables, where his steed was within the confines completely free of restriction. He had trained her well enough that the horse would heed his call in the form of a sharp whistle and Noburu would trot next to him loyally, as a dog did to its owner. Well he amended to himself that the horse was more intelligent than a regular dog and for that he could accept her feelings as the animal 'neighed' at him once he appeared next to her form. Her gentle firmness reminded him of his own actions, he could only pet her side affectionately.

The strong yet beautiful animal nudged his hand as he rested it against her head, while she ate leisurely from the food that the Night-Raid members provided.

"You can feel my pain too right? Am I that open to be read, Noburu? Am I that weak?"

The questions came in a heart broken voice, as the animal nudged him again to get him to smile. Grasping the cloth and brush from the side, he started to drench it to get the horses body washed. Sighing to himself, he went to work and soon enough: his body drifted into an automated mode where the tasks at hand overrode his mental mindset. A peaceful yet stern method of discipline to ignore the e world around yourself, in order to become fluent to be at ease with ones own problems. Tatsumi just enjoyed the silence that came over him and his steed. The female animal occasionally shook from the water running down her sides but overall, didn't complain much about the attention.

Gently he brushed the horse down, removing old hairs and small insects that were harmless to her down onto the ground, this was the simple process for some time.

Within this preoccupied notion of a work, the young Colonel began to reflect on his problems one at a time.

"_I promised Ieyasu that I would change the Empire, so where do I begin?"_

That simple intent, where did you have to begin in order to achieve a goal as vague as that. To change the Empire would requite a lot of influence, a lot of power, a lot of resources if necessary to combat regime changes and where did it all lead too? The idea of a revolution seemed bleaker because of the fact that countless of his country-men would die to the infighting and that would make other powers beyond the Empire's borders to invade them from all sides.

It'd be similar to how sharks smelt blood within the ocean, they'd be a feeding frenzy to get whatever pieces they could before the source of food fell into the depths of the sea forever. The idea was making him have a slight headache, since to even get anywhere he had to achieve the strength necessary for those in power to listen to him about his ideas for the Empire to become a better place, to thrive in and to grow beyond what it was now. Every dream started with the one thing all men and woman of the Empire held, whether they chose to admit it or not.

Hope.

For within hope, for the Empire to flourish and to see a better tomorrow for all citizens under the system that would be fair to all. It was an ideal, a means to an end for faith to be established for all citizens to enjoy the Empire's identity as a pillar of support. But whereas did that reality have to come true, where did he begin for such a thing to take shape? To become a General of the Empire was a start, he needed renown and what not for those speak of his name. Hell it'd be a pain to due to other Political route and it was near nigh impossible to let the Emperor decide due to that lard of a Prime Minister of his.

All in all, the dream seemed just like that: a fickle dream from an idealist who wanted more out of life to stem the true cruelty in the world.

Sighing lightly, the young man just continued to scrub his horse and started to get back to work as he idly remembered another thing he swore to do.

Burying the bodies of his old friends back in his home village, would they still be there in the morgue or the mass graves that are used to bury the dead who could not be claimed? That thought alone made him cringe, he'd have to work hard to pay for services for Ieyasu and Sayo to be buried back at his home village into the far east, the grief alone would be hard to bare alone and he'd need help from possibly his Legion if they were willing to lend volunteers. Even then, he'd still have to play accordingly to the soldiers if they did help him: he wouldn't offer them anything less than to assist him as a former commander.

It just seemed really difficult to get anything done now, all he could do was wait and just try to make the best of all the situations that were falling into his hands now.

Time was his ally for the moment...

But for how much longer?

"_Just relax, ignore these things for now. Focus on the tasks on hand, get Noburu prepped up and get through this 'meeting' with Night-Raid's head. I still have some time before I have to report to the Imperial Palace anyways. One step at a time, just like holding a Steel-Line against the charge of an enemy."_

With that in mind stared at the side of his horse.

So he took a breathe to continue his work on his own steed.

Taking some solace and pride as the animal went through his motions with little resistance which was a small blessing. Yawning a bit, the young man did what he could with his limited tools to make his personal horse presentable to the common folk. After all, discipline had been instilled onto him from many sources in some shape or form, beyond that he did what always did when faced with an overwhelming tide of problems. He just split them up into groups of prioritizing, the more pressing matters were ones that needed to be dealt with immediately as in this meeting Night-Raid. The problems on hand, on whether he could solve or give answers too.

Soon enough he did what he could with Noburu, intent on leaving her alone for the time being.

She would behave and stick around, he had faith in her to at least stay within the area until he had time to leave in the future.

"Yo, Tatsumi!"

A merry voice called out from behind him, outside beyond the stables as he looked up grimacing. That blond woman, Leone against was coming to harass him for some stupid reason or one another. Wiping his annoyances with the woman away, he raised a hand in greeting before dumping the water from the bucket onto a patch of nearby grass on the left hand side of the doorway: no need to make this place anymore dirty than necessary. Mud often made those fall into it, regardless of whatever they were doing.

"Hello, Leone."

Ignoring the urge to stare at her, he moved towards the rest of his gear and tried to get it sorted but the blond humanoid teigu user pulled him into a one armed hug. Pressing her 'developed' assets into his side, the young officer just gnashed his teeth silently trying to ignore the impulses his body demanded to be settled. This woman had the utmost mission to seriously annoy him for some damned reason or another, when he felt her breathe tickling his earlobe much to his chagrin. Why did this woman want to screw around with his head, even politicians knew when to piss off if they got him angry at times. At the ones within the Western Territories knew when to push off and that was a bold statement to make on his part.

"What, that's it? No: hey there beautiful, or good morning sis? Jeez, am I that so low in your mind to not think of a greeting for me? Hmm?"

The consistent pestering made him offer a retort, "If I say 'yes' would you stop with this stupid stuff?"

Tatsumi winced as she pinched his cheek, trying to make him squeal from the pain but he held firm. His eyes were watching her akin to a hawks, since the memories of last night were still fresh on his mind and the woman seemed to get the idea. She made a snort of childish proportions before informing him the news that he had been dreading for a good day or so. It caused his heart to drop, a bit and he mentally fortified what he could to prepare now.

He mentally got himself ready as Leone crossed her hands over head own head as if bored, with being a messenger.

"The Boss of Night-Raid wants to see you now, I think she was just trying to psyche you out. She doesn't do that often so, I'd be worried just a little but beyond that, you'll fit fine here."

Now that was merely curious more so than to be wary, of an attack on him. Tatsumi could only nod silently as he moved to change into his uniform, he wanted to look presentable to the Boss of Night-Raid as an means to be formal. He had little experience in dealing with consequences on this degree, talking with the leader of an Assassin Group that was infamous in the Capital City was nothing to sneeze at. This felt remotely like the times had been making reports to several Generals he was serving under during his time out in the Western Regions.

Rarely did he talk on an informal ceremony, of a daily basis with his superiors.

He only dealt with rebellions and local populations when securing hot-zones that were liable to revolt.

"Understood. I'll go change now, please do not try to peek on me or I will not be responsible for what happens to your eyes."

Tatsumi gave his fair warning as the elder blond pouted at the threats.

"Aw, but you look so much nicer with what you got on right now. Can I please just see you without a shirt on at the least, I promise to be a nice little kitty girl!"

He ignored her for a bit, while closing the stable door to change into his uniform of the Imperial Military, he needed to focus on the tasks at hand. Inhaling deeply the padded leather vest slid over him immediately followed by his pants and overcoat that went down to the middle of his shins. The white fabric still bright and unscratched mainly, shone with a pride as he had fixed it to the best of his own ability. Flexing his shoulders to get used to the weight, the young Colonel then placed his Beret on for a presentable fashion. The sun hitting his back giving him a sense of warmth, it just made the blood flow faster.

And he placed his gloves on: leaving that _ring_ from that hell-spawn of a girl Aria on the wooden bench.

"_I'll wear it, as a sin for my foolishness to believe in people at first glance. Evil has many forms and its truly the agony in seeing something that is not so disguised as evil to be a fair being, never will I allow myself to judge anyone without seeing what they are underneath their actions. God give me strength, for I shall endure this penance as a mortal lesson."_

Glaring angrily at the outside window where various birds flew out into the skies, Tatsumi's eyes hardened to the point where they were nothing but frozen emeralds that were within his pupils. He slipped the ruby ring onto his left index finger, along with strapping his weaponry on his sides the young Colonel stood proudly despite his location. Technically he was in an enemy camp, but he would hold true to his faith in trying to accomplish an near impossible dream. In one one way or another, he would hear these people out and find out whether Evil is what they were. Was Night-Raid inherently Evil as most would claim they were to be, would corruption even thrive if not for their own efforts? It was a perplexing morality that hit him hard in his heart as the wounds from last night took root again.

Loyalty to the Empire, a loyalty marred by a corruption that was stemmed at the heart...

Or a path to change within Night-Raid to become more than just a soldier.

At the cost of becoming a traitor and never standing in the light of day again...

Slipping his Saber into its sheath and having his old villages sword on his back, the image of a proud and strong officer of the Army had come forth. Colonel Tatsumi 'Saber' would not back down in the face of Evil, for wherever it hid and if it were to rear its head to kill him: he would smite it back down into the hell forewent it came from.

That was what all he could in order to appease the grief locked inside his heart now, that cold driving spike that shifted once he understood the weight of what he promised to his now dead friends. Cursing his inability to understand the true cruelty that the Empire could dish out, he blamed himself and had to vow something that truly would make him decide on his path into his own life.

He vowed that not another soul should suffer the weight he had been slammed with, not a single person deserved such a fate.

Even if they were the cause of it all, then death would greet them viva Steel or Fire itself. The feeling righteousness inside his heart had burned fully now, his eyes would become the very things that all Evil would fear: his gaze would tear asunder the corruption that was very nearly choking the life of the Empire that deserved to become the true ideal of a 'Power' to the world to fear. He would stop this madness from spreading, had to stop it and allow the citizens of the Empire itself to be given a chance to live for, if the weak were to oppressed then eventually Strong Rebellions would cripple the very system that created them in the first place.

He would try, would fulfill that promise and vow to Ieyasu, Sayo and everyone back in his home village.

It was the least of his problems to be fair but, it was also the most clear-cut to try to solve.

Taking on last breath, he tried to steady himself for the last time before turning on an about face heading to the entrance of the stables along, with Leone leaning against the side of the doorway bored out of her mind. She gave a low wolf whistle at him, to which he ignored keeping on hand steady on the hilt of his Saber that was on his right side. He waited for her to lead the way, as she chuckled at some hidden joke for some reason or another, which got him a bit curious as a result. Did something make her amused?

If so were was the joke himself or did he not respond in the right sense to her taunts?

Either way Tatsumi shrugged internally, nothing more meant to be seen until he had met with the head of Night-Raid itself.

The walk into the hideout was akin to a fortress built on the side of a cliff-face of sorts. It wasn't exactly hidden but it certainly could be defended at a moments notice. Tatsumi lowered his head at the sight of the sun hanging high overhead, the brightness wasn't welcomed since he set foot outside the shade of the surrounding forests, where flora and animal life flourished in abundance. Perhaps that lack of Danger Beasts were what made this place a living Eden for those who could withstand the world beyond the bounds of nature.

He could only stare at the surrounding environment before moving into the confines of the structure that was Night-Raid's base of operations, their own Head-Quarters for the time being as he witnessed rooms filled with food or weaponry while on his journey around the base.

Leone was mainly informative at times.

She explained certain areas, kindly and rather brightly much to his observations. So throughout it all, he often thanked her or ignore some pointless banter that she struck up with him and at times, the two were silent in their own respective thoughts. Personally, Tatsumi considered the silence a reprieve from the less informative things the humanoid teigu user put out at times, so a welcomed blessing in disguise if he had heard of such things.

"You've been quiet. Are you feeling well?"

Leone asked out of the blue, as the Colonel merely replied a in clipped tone clearly not interested to elaborate. For good reasons, due to the fact he wasn't over from last night and the day prior where she used him to swindle money off him. That instantly made his kindness dissipate faster than water in a desert. When one took advantage of another person, then that trust between them was destroyed immediately and so Tatsumi didn't care now, she'd have to earn the right to talk to him again in the future.

If god allowed such a thing and he wasn't religious either at all.

"I'm fine."

The woman wasn't clearly happy with him blowing her off, at least like. His answers short and to the point, it bugged her that he was acting like this. She was just trying to be friendly with the Imperial-Saber in a way, which was her own downfall at this moment. Leone didn't realize her playful banter before the incident at the Mansion would nearly get her opinion with Tatsumi sucked into a whirlpool of grievances. In that end, she would learn one or another if the Imperial Officer witnessed such an event unfold. Tatsumi was well aware of the tension between them, he offered no answers to his deteriorating mood which just got worse because of a stupidity that was slung around his neck like a noose.

And eventually, the one with the nooses got hung as a spectacle.

Soon enough the two reached the main room, where the full might of Night-Raid's members were on display for him to bare witness. His eyes swept on the individuals, there was Leone, that black haired girl called 'Akame' if last nights indication was right, then a massive built man, two more females one that was short and pink young girl, along with a purple haired glassed wearing smiling woman.

Plus one more young man around his age, that familiar green haired person that was with Leone yesterday, when he got swindled out of money for his kindness and last but not least, the only figure sitting on a throne like chair. All in all, seven members that were imposing in their own ways but he held firm not yielding against the sight of so many potential killers. Each held a Teigu, so his means to defend himself were slim to none.

He turned to the silver haired woman sitting with a metallic gauntlet for an arm and an eye-patch, marking her akin to a pirate which was amusing its own right. Beyond that, he did what he could in order to maintain a calm front as he stared down the supposed leader of Night-Raid, her picture on the posters were coming back to the forefront of his mind; what did that thing say about her name? Closing his eyes for a moment, he remembered now as the text of the Imperial parchment came to light.

Najenda.

"_I don't know anything about her, other than a name."  
><em>

Gripping the handle of his Saber, Tatsumi did what he had to do in order to stare down the group of infamous Assassins. A few of them were particularly staring at the state of his dress, as a soldier of the Empire that they were trying to currently topple in some shape or form. Given the reasoning of this meeting was met with scrutinizing gazes and considerable doubts, on where they wanted him to stand in this time.

"So, I've been told you like to be called 'Saber' or do you prefer your own name Tatsumi?"

The said person could only take a moment, to decide really on whether to accept such a choice. Instead he smiled kindly as best as he could, to dispel the tension that surrounded is very senses within the room itself. The silver haired woman waited patiently despite his expression changing into a more friendlier version of her ex-colleagues in the past, which was quite some time in her eyes. The youngster had a few kind smile, which made his face a fair thing to see for anyone's eyes.

Well, an eye in her case much to that subtle twitch of phantom pains.

"Whatever you feel is necessary, Najenda right? I can recall your name off the posters I witnessed in the capital yesterday but I feel its more of a formality issue if I'm to be called by my rank and name. If you want, I can call you 'Boss' if you call me, 'Saber' or vice-verse with our casual names." The suggestions themselves were quite an olive branch as Najenda herself could only smirk at the choices being offered to her. Here was an officer of the army standing not even three meters from the front of her gaze, not flinching in the presence of a group that could kill him and still be able to become a civil person without the need to fight.

An excellent discipline or a hidden nervousness, she'd bank on the first choice due to his winning smile.

"Interesting. Alright I see, 'Saber' I take it you are interested in why you were invited here?"

Tatsumi cheekily replied in a manner that voiced out his true age, still a young kid at times.

"You got it in one, Boss."

Between the two: a gaze of a former general and an aspiring one clashed into a mix of wills.

Tatsumi's gaze didn't waver nor did Najenda's as the two just watched each other for a few moments. No one could say what they were thinking, but the smoke from Night-Raid's Leader slowly dwindled down into a short stub as the silence went onwards. It made Leone and Akame especially worried since they had never seen such an extensive period of time to have their boss this quiet. It was like the two were gauging each other up more than talking about a deal to garner help from either party. One cold indifferent eye met the burning resolve of two Emerald orbs, which their respective owners judging the actions of the other in a silent duel of will.

They wanted to know what was the deal between the two, it was getting antsy for a better lack of word.

"One of my own subordinates, Leone says you have potential to learn here and become a good fit with Night-Raid, what do you think about the offer being made here?" The question was barbed in the sense, that Tatsumi could only naturally walk through it without being cut by the proverbial thorns on it. His smile didn't let up as he spoke clear and to the point, although his tone seemed less natural when regarding a few things.

"Well now she says many things, its whether they're truthful to that end, is my concern. I have not heard of Night-Raid nor have I made any exploits to warrant my path with you. Why are you so intent on getting me on board with a group that weakens the Empire from within itself?" His eyes went to the blond woman in question, who hid away behind the form of Akame who narrowed her own gaze for that cheek against a friend of hers. It was a fair warning, from him to her in that sense: do **not** take advantage of his kindness ever or suffer, the humiliation to get slighted in a war of words. He didn't care for her now as far as he was concerned that blond woman would have to earn the time for him to hear her out.

Which wouldn't be the most healthy route to take since his desire to beat her down was there in full confidence.

The Leader of Night-Raid merely raised an eyebrow at that insult, whatever drama there was had occurred and it was up to their originators to come to an impasse. Still she continued her questioning, trying to find some sort of doubt in this young man's eyes which was shockingly little off. This made her angles on the boy seem a bit more cautious now, he was definitely loyal the Empire in his heart and in mind. She could understand his actions but she didn't know what he was up to in the long run of things. This made the conversation, a bit odd for her tastes.

"I'll take that into consideration but you haven't answered about the offer directly. Are you willing to join us to help eliminate the corruption that the Empire has at its heart. The Revolutionary Army..."

Tatsumi cut her off, clearly not sympathetic to the speeches that recruited her fellow comrades.

"Is just another faction to, start a war that is unnecessary. You want me to join a Revolution that will tear the Empire in half 'Boss', which is something clearly I will not allow to occur. I'd only join if this were to purge the Corruption just within the Capital alone but I see that you are here to drive more support for a Revolution that will utterly destroy more lives than to save. I'm guessing you do not know, what this will do those caught in the cross fire?"

The conviction of his beliefs made Najenda frown in distaste, to be fair he didn't actually see the bigger picture that the Empire was already at war with itself: it was just hidden mainly. He didn't actually reject Night-Raid's own intent so far, so that was a plus in her books but the Revolutionary Army would be a sore subject to debate with this boy, since they were technically apart of it. The woman sighed to herself, this Officer wasn't going to be persuaded so easily which made her a bit bummed out. He had the skill set to join, the mind set she had to break off of him and that got her downed a bit.

And that was her specialty to be convincing others to assist them.

"Whether you want to admit it or not, 'Saber' but the Empire is already fighting within itself. It's just not become public knowledge, really. Corruption is at the head of all forms of its government, the Emperor is nothing more than a public image to maintain the illusion of 'control' and the reality is that, if we don't do something to change the ones in power then the People will suffer. The Revolutionary Army seeks change and we will eventually take the fight to the Capital in the future."

Tatsumi gripped the handle of his blade, not of hatred but his stern belief to stay loyal to the Empire that he loved and wanted to change from within. Why did the need to have open warfare out-weigh the purges that were needed within to change the System? He knew in his heart,there were good people out in the Empires vast lands that could change these Systems of Rule, to assist the Emperor in maturing into a ruler that could lead the country into a new golden age!

Oh he knew in his heart that to find the goodness in people, Evil had to be cut out. To be destroying the Evil within the Empire was his duty as a soldier, even the Generals of the Army had to witness such atrocities within their own Capital City. Faded screams entered his mind, so he ruthlessly crushed those feelings before they could be seen on his face and for that end alone: he could not show that to these people.

He was a soldier.

A soldier sworn to protect the Empire...

But how could he protect it from its own reflection of Evil, in its heart?

"You have those pure ideals, those good intentions if I can say that Tatsumi but they will never come to reality through the path you are taking. You want the Empire to remain intact, so that the People do not suffer but they're already are through the regime of the Prime Minister under Emperor Makoto. Only through conflict and the desire will the Empire change, after its all said and done..."

Najenda spoke this compassionately while easing off the barbed facts, she didn't want to push away a potential asset like this boy and it'd be a real pain in the ass later on, to kill him if he went against them. His eyes were like frozen pools he seemed to withdraw within himself, nailing the stake into his heart was a cruel truth that she would utilize her own past reflected such actions to change the Empire too. Except she became an open target, which cost her the ability to fight at full strength at all in her life now and it was a painful endeavor to learn humility.

"Conflict? Desire? Really, is that right?"

A sweetening smile, made everyone in the room stare at him in sheer awe and inspiration.

All of Night-Raid were watching captivated at the most tense and dramatic war of words, that Najenda had ever used to convince a potential member to join. More than a few of them were witnessing the ideals of a proper Empire that could have been and what the reality was now, that corruption had marred that image into a warped nightmare. The two before their eyes were an Ex-General who was strong, loyal and true to the men under her command in the past. Along with an aspiring General who was what the Ex-General was before her own fall, this was the cost of what the future would bring.

To be loyal and true to the System to give to the People, or to become a traitor: to help those under the said System?

This was nothing short of heart jarring beliefs and hopes; of those to come.

"I do not think you know what that fully entitles into, what a real Revolution will do to this country, '_Boss_'."

He stressed her name out like a bitter fruit as, the woman leaned back in her seat clearly waiting wishing to hear more of this young man's true face. Overall so far, he was a good man but fighting for the wrong cause in her mind. But his next words sent a shiver of fear through her, more so about the implications of a bigger picture that she nor the leadership of the Revolutionary Army had considered a bit due to the full size of the Empire. Perhaps they did think about but refused, to see that if a conflict of that size would do them and the Empire.

Tatsumi had gone into unknown territory, for a good reason.

"Your Revolution will become a _Civil _War, encase you do not know what that means: its Brother vs Brother, Father vs Son and so forth. Blood will be spilled, on homes more frequently as friends see each other die by their own swords in combat and that will just keep on going until the very stability of this world crumbles. In my eyes, you will trigger a war so violent, vast and destructive, it will bring the _entire_ world upon the crumbling vestiges of the Empire like sharks in a frenzy in the oceans. So by ensuing that: you will create more death than whatever the Regime of this lard of a Prime Minister will ever do and for that. So tell me, why should I join a movement calling for such a thing in the future?"

At this point, Najenda lowered her gaze with her hair covering with remaining good eye.

And the other members of Night-Raid spoke up, as the temptation to add to the conversation was already too great to see this clash of ideology up front. The need to justify their ways, to change the world into a better place and that doubt lingered in their hearts, as they were witnessing their own questions coming to life. More so they wanted to believe in the cause was worth fighting for, first most and importantly.

Piece by piece and it only made Tatsumi 'Saber' ignore the urge to stand with them.

"You do not know if that will come to pass, what you're considering is beyond the current picture. Night-Raid only targets corrupt people and we do not want that type of conflict." Akame stated in a dull tone, her gaze and former life coming to past, her former Assassinations of common people that were fighting for good had earned her desire to fight back. To take a stand against the Empire and to save others from experiencing the same fate as hers, to save her remaining family member as well.

This young man brought up some _fair _what-ifs but, that was they were to her.

"As far am I'm concerned, the Empire will change one way or another. I won't see those that work in the slums become toys for those in power, they have a right to live and we are the means, to save them." Leone chimed in with her arms folded, while she leaned against the wall off to the right hand side. Tatsumi just briefly flickered his gaze over at her words before having a man walk over to him, that heavily built Armor Teigu user who offered him a sympathetic smile. One pair of eyes tracked his movements to the muscle movement, it made the man only grin at the attention.

"You remind me of myself, Tatsumi, so much that it's a bit scary. You have faith in those that command you, you have faith in the Empire but what if its all for nothing? Those that were your friends and comrades, betrayed by the very leaders that were in power? How can you serve such a thing when they were taken out because they didn't agree with the Prime Ministers ways? Tell me, would you try anything to stop that from happening again?" The man said gently, as the young Colonel stared at him for a long while. Silence met the two as Najenda gave a small grin underneath her shadowed face, this was rather unexpected in order for a potential ally to be recruited.

Amongst the Night-Raid members, that man was the only one possibly able to talk to the young Colonel on a level that she herself could for a time.

"Sorry, I don't know who you are apart from last night. And if your superior was betrayed by the Prime Minister, it's because he wasn't as subtle."

The man made a pose, smiling which got Tatsumi a creepy vibe from as he offered his hand in greeting.

"I'm Bulat, the 'Hundred-Man Slayer' and wielder of Incursio, the Demon Armor Teigu at your service.

Tatsumi shook his hand, though Leone spoke up a bit mischievous.

"Careful handsome, he's gay."

"_What?"_

Suddenly his limb was being inspected by tender motions from, the now identified Bulat and was in serious thought. Tatsumi felt his spine cruel now that he saw attraction within that man's gaze, which was a little freakish for him to handle and to be fair, he was quite straight in his opinion. He liked women and men equally, but wanted a family one day in the future. The Colonel felt his stomach grow a bit cold when Bulat casually, spoke out to the humanoid blond woman who was giggling at the image of the two men.

"Hey now, don't try to paint me in that type of light Leone."

And another retort came from the said woman, leaning forward at the muscled ex-soldier.

"But its true, regardless of what you say!"

Tatsumi could only sigh to himself, while keeping his hands at his sides now. "_The sad part is that the guy didn't try to deny it either, nor defend the claim. Holy crap, this place is really insane and I'm so glad I thought I was going insane, since I'm sane completely now..."_

Taking a moment to purge his mind of images that weren't too be known to the light of day ever, the young Imperial Officer returned to the conversations at hand that were of relevant purpose to his own dreams. Rather goals and ambitions based on the lack of passion he felt for himself now, it just seemed like a numb pain had entered his heart when talking with these people.

Arguing with these Night-Raid Assassins was causing him a major headache, perhaps he could use them to make his ideals a reality whether the Leader herself would admit it or not. His mind started to formulate a plan, he had over a week to report into the Imperial Palace before long and maybe he could see more of the Capital for the Corruption that had crippled its livelihood to the rest of the Empire.

The Western Frontiers were dangerous in their own rights, but this madness within the Heart of the country needed to be purged as soon as he could muster enough strength to do it. He needed help and for now these Night-Raid members were his only means to an end. But he would _not_ betray the Empire and the Emperor, to become a Rogue.

He owed that much to his Legion and to his best friends, that he would change the Empire some how and some way.

Peering intently at the leader of Night-Raid, the 'Boss' he finally came to an answer of sorts in order to ease down the tensions that was already nixed within the room. Adapting to a problem, to find a solution was nothing less than a fine example of the Imperial Military might. There were still people in the Capital that he knew off, hopefully still had enough power to cause a pause in the Prime Ministers schemes which were devious at heart.

"We're never going to agree whether I'll join Night-Raid, Miss Najenda. So I'll offer you a compromise if you permit me to explain it."

That sudden declaration made the petty squabbling between Bulat and Leone stop. Plus garner the full attention of the members immediately, they were curious and somewhat expectant to hear such a thing from him. Tatsumi didn't care why, but in the end if they listened it was a step in a good direction for him anyways. Still the final motion would be from the head of Night-Raid in this case, to hear him out and if she didn't: he was going back to the Capital at that very next moment.

A brief echo of laughter silenced the room entirely with Najenda leaning forward with a hand over her chin as her eyes were glowing with 'excitement' for a better lack of a word.

She was hooked onto this boy and really wanted to know what was going inside that brain of his: this new type of challenge had gotten her mind pumped.

"What are you really thinking, Tatsumi? Really, I'm curious as to what you can do to assist us and be loyal to the Empire, so I'll bite: What's your compromise?"

Akame shook her head, "This will not sound good."

Her claim was countered by Bulat good naturally, "It's just a suggestion Akame, do not disregard such a thing. It'll be interesting to hear another side of this conflict, not all Imperial Soldiers are the same and I'm already enjoying this young guy's guts to stand up for his ideals." The other members of Night-Raid were silent, as the two other girls who hadn't spoken were more keen to view this spectacle of former Empire Agents and Soldiers converse with one another, having nothing in their personal pasts to contribute to such a person as 'Saber'.

Throughout these conversations and accusations, Tatsumi weathered them as firm as he'd ever done.

"Thank you."

Inhaling for a moment, Najenda leaned back in her seat idly flicking her tobacco pipe to rid it of the ashes near end of its base.

"I propose a temporary partnership, I'll work for you for about a week since my Orders will give me time to spend at my leisure. This is too see what you guys are truly doing. I'll witness the Evil of the Capital firsthand, so I don't doubt your claims that the Empire can be saved from itself. You'll have my full cooperation and skills at your disposal, so that I won't mess around when it comes down to a killing. Furthermore in the future, if I am to leave this place I'll provide you with any sort of rumored plans of corruption from within the Imperial Palace at its core."

Taking a deep breath, the young man did what he could to stop himself from sounding too excited to play a dangerous game that could have the finish of his dreams to be made. He needed support, anything and anyone to assist him in his quest to save the Empire from its own Evils that lie buried, so starting with Night-Raid he'd do his tasks with what resources at his hand.

"What do you want in return?"

Lubbock of all people spoke up, his one visible eye narrowing in suspicion at the young Colonel who looked over, for a moment silent.

"I want the Evil in the Empire to be purged, but I do not want the Empire to degenerate into Open-War against the Revolutionary Army until its absolutely certain that it will happen. The entire stability of millions will be at risk, if the other countries invade the lands we have fought for on the frontiers. I ask for your help, in that sense and ultimately I hope that such a partnership will work. I fear that I will lose my way in life in order to achieve my goal of an Empire that will have a better tomorrow, for the People to have Hope in the country they belong too. I made a vow and a promise to those killed, last night in that hellish deviation of a building..."

Tatsumi gripped the handle of his Saber, clenching it so tightly it cracked his knuckles as the ruby ring from the sadistic Aria appeared in front of his vision: a penance for seeing that Evil had many forms and would not cease to abuse those around it. Another agonizing lesson that cost him his friends, his last friends that he had known before this life as a soldier of the Empire. It hurt, as it would never heal fully with time alone.

"You're a fool. There is no changing the Empire for the better, its people are just as lost as the ones who are evil. If this idiot joins up with us, I won't like it. I'll be out training..."

This came from the silent pink haired girl who got up and walked out of the room, as Tatsumi's eyes followed her with a glare that would send lesser people running. She didn't acknowledge his dream, so for that he'd consider a potential hostile combatant that would stab him in back or along that line of thought, if she didn't have hope then what was the point in fighting for anything?

Lubbock moved off his position near Najenda before moving out of the room, "I'm just going to say you have an idiotic dream, its cool and all but, you're welcome to die for it as long as you help us to your fullest ability. I'm heading off to go scout some things, Boss so I'll be back later and see what happened." Slowly but surely, this was a sign that the members were going to head off and do their own tasks, as clearly the answers lied with their leader herself. She had been silent mainly while pondering the choices in her mind, her gaze swept over the rest of the remaining Night-Raid members.

She motioned to the door, making them leave for a private conversation with the young Imperial Officer.

"Okay, I'll see you around Tatsumi. Stop trying to be so gloomy and doom like, you got a cute face. Don't mess it up with stress." Leone grinned at him, while avoiding his piercing glare at her remarks as she passed by him. His hand still gripped on the weapon at his side, he wasn't flinching at the powerful gazes locked onto his form but he relaxed nonetheless. He looked to the black haired girl Akame, who stared at him dully. She seemed familiar and not in a good way either.

"You have a strong will. But you have an impossible dream to reach: so, don't die too quickly."

That left, Bulat and a purple haired woman who was sitting at the only table in the room before getting up herself. Her gaze was a warming sea of appreciation, her face innocent and fair but to Tatsumi it was a repeat of Aria who caused him deep wounds into his heart. So he kept a neutral expression waiting to see what she would say, he hoped that it would be enough to take his mind off the events of last night.

As a hand slapped him hard on the shoulder, looking at the owner of the limb he quickly withheld an urge to flinch back.

"Don't lose your resolve Tatsumi, I see a great man awaiting to rise up. I just hope your heart doesn't waver in the path you take, never lose that drive regardless of where we end up in life. As one soldier to another, push yourself to make any dream possible."

A firm grip on his shoulder released itself, as Bulat the Hundred-Man Slayer walked off to go train in the grounds in front of Night-Raid's base. Tatsumi himself could only feel admiration for the man, at his positive outlook for his own dreams and hopes which earned him respect more so than anyone could be given. Inhaling deeply, he turned to the purple haired woman who smiled at him before offering him a simple greeting. An air of gentle aloofness could only be described, to make him give her his full attentions.

"Hi, I'm Sheele. And I think you are a good person, please don't let that go."

With that, this left the remaining two individuals inside the main room of the base. Tatsumi could feel his nerves growing, this was eerily familiar to giving a report to the Generals whenever had to end a campaign or missions give out to him. The idea that this woman was a former soldier wouldn't be too far-fetched as her eye locked onto his firm stance, she just smiled mysteriously as if amused by his counter-stance. This probably not a good sign, "_I feel like I've just pissed off a tiger danger beast and I'm in the den of it as well..."_

Najenda stood up, walking to the window over to their right hand side.

He stood rooted attentive, awaiting her answer as she smoked her pipe as it twirled around in her mouth. The lack of any facial recognition was enough to get the young Colonel prepared for the worst case scenario and what not, so he had nothing other than to pray for hope to assist him in this time of need. He needed help, to help change the Empire and if this were to fail: it was a sign to stop trying at this very moment.

"You're offer is a bit one-sided, at least for us to exploit you Tatsumi. I can see why you are respected amongst the rebellions that arose up in the Western territories. Using yourself as a tool or sacrifice in order to achieve results is risky business, but in the end the consequences are on your head. Your talents would be welcomed amongst the Revolutionary Army, at least in the South for that matter..." She trailed off before shrugging her own shoulders while turning to face him. A small grin was on her face, making her look a danger beasts predator as the sun hid her face from view.

It made him wince momentarily.

"However the Revolutionary Army is aligned with the Western Foreign Powers beyond the Empire's border, so you are _well-known_ to us because of your efforts out there. In spite of that, I can see where you stand in the coming days. So we'll accept your offer for now, so train up and get ready for tonight, we have a contract killing ready. Go and don't disappoint me."

Tatsumi smiled, relief and hope alive on his features.

Perhaps he had a chance after all.

"Understood, Boss."

And with that he got ready for tonight, he had some work to get done and to get his own dreams on the move.

* * *

><p>"Our target is an oil merchant named Gamal, a despicable scum bag of a man who uses his money to whore out woman and abuse them daily. Using illegal means of the sex-trade for children, he uses his power to keep the Captain of the Guard under his thumb. The second target is Captain 'Ogre' a man who uses his station to pin crimes on what Gamal does on innocent people, many have been publicly executed within the month because of this. The two work together and often seen together, sick fucks."<p>

The small group of Assassins were gathered on a roof top, after carefully examining the turf that their prey was to be killed. Amongst the group of Night-Raid was their honorary member who wasn't a full one due to the agreement with their Boss, but they treated him fairly enough.

The three assigned to the assassination were Leone, Akame and Tatsumi himself.

While the rest of Night-Raid had their own devices and assignments to do, so Najenda sent them off with the intent to complete the mission immediately. They were paid a good amount of gold coins from their contact, which was damned near impressive at the amounts earned. Most of it was going to the Revolutionary army to pay for equipment or hired more professional soldiers to gain more strength, while the rest of it was divided amongst the team sent out to kill the targets.

"Captain Ogre you said?"

Tatsumi spoke up while overlooking the street they witnessed their targets moving from, his eyes were strained on the man he knew as such. It was years ago when he was promoted to be an officer he met the man on a basis on a patrol and hadn't seen him since. Knowing a man was one thing and befriending was an entirely different manner, the young Colonel at the time was just a Lieutenant while Ogre was a freshly promoted Imperial Guard Captain. Their meeting wasn't the most civil at the time, as he had beaten back the elder man when he tried to undermine his own soldiers at the time.

Long story short, he had give the man a reason to hate his sight.

Tatsumi withheld a smirk since he had cut out Captain Ogre's eye as a Lieutenant when he was barely hitting his teenage years. Really this was going to be a long time score to be settled finally. He warned that man, if he heard of him using his power to abuse others again: he'd fucking kill and end that miserable flesh of a person. So this was an unexpected surprise, a decent one at that. Excitement crawled up his spine, what a fun way to prove his worth to a deal that had an easy start.

"Yeah, you're going to be handling him as Akame and I take out Gamal. You worried about that guy, I heard he was proficient with Swords." Leone stated the facts she knew from her contacts amongst the slums, which made the Imperial Officer start to chuckle out loud. It drew a look from Akame at the younger boy who could only shake his head, as if he heard a good joke? He was strange, to her.

"Worried? When I was just a lieutenant I could take him down, I even cut out his eye for troubles. At the time he tried to undermine my command of a squad of soldiers assisting in capturing criminals. It was a brief experience but I told him to get bent and went on my way. I doubt he remembers me but just in case, I'll take off his head to be sure..."

Akame and Leone stared at his perfectly kind smile, in disbelief.

"_I guess they do not believe it, but its their loss."_

"Alright. You ready Akame?"

The humanoid blond said to the former Empire Assassin who nodded confirmed as the trio split up to commence the killings. For Tatsumi this was what he lived for, to purge the Evil of the Capital and take on the brunt of the Corruption that plagued his country. If this wasn't a sanctioned mission than he'd have enjoyed it a bit more than necessary. Inhaling deeply he dropped down onto the street from a side alley, with his uniform in full view as the Capital City slowly night life came to stop near the peak of the moon. It was nearly pitch black, midnight to be precisely as he walked along the granite laced streets. Various citizens were inside their homes, safe from another night to be caught out on the streets as lights were dimmed.

The darkness crept from alley ways as shadows lengthened underneath the moons bright gaze.

As killers stalked their prey within the urban confines.

Finding the brute of a man, wasn't that hard in the young Imperial-Saber's mind as he followed from a distance seeing that the man was arrogant enough to walk alone. His eyes drifted to various patrons at the tavern give the man hard stares of silent fury, as more than once he witnessed bruising on a woman's face. His heart quickened as rage surged forth from his core, no way in hell the man was getting away for doing that to women and he knew why...

Ogre loved to rape victims, girls and women alike if it came down it.

"_Let's see if you're as predictable now as then, Captain Ogre."_

Cracking his neck left to right, the young Colonel moved with the grace of a Danger Beast that was stalking its own prey out in the wilds. His footsteps were measured to get the man to hear his presence, which would get him to turn into an alleyway eventually and hopefully confront of him in the most blatant manner. Idly he used his Saber to hit the granite road with its sheath to make a scrapping sound to get any person's attention on a silent night, it was creepy and had the intended effect on the would be victim whose life was numbered.

This went on for a few minutes, until Tatsumi's quarry moved towards a corner which lead to a dead end.

"_How poetic, the man uses a dead end for his own means and only to meet his end in death."_

Turning the corner the Captain of the Imperial Guard stood there with his arms crossed, clearly annoyed at being followed. The shadows of the building hid the bright white uniform and his face, as his Beret covered a portion of his face as well. All in all, the stereotype of a shady stalker which had finally pissed the Guard Captain off finally. That man had always been predictable and this occasion was no different from the rest, it just made this all the more sweeter to enjoy.

And he would, quite extensively.

"Step out into the light, you've been tailing me for a while scumbag. I'm going to rip your damned skull off that neck and see who has the balls to try to kill me, Captain Demon Ogre in his own home turf. I've been itching to cut some fresh meat up for a while." His guttural tone didn't change over the years, it got worse and more irritating to listen too. So Tatsumi spoke up polite and civil as he had always been when conversing with lower ranked officers in the Army out in the Western Regions.

"My, my, my you haven't changed Captain. Is that any way to greet an old acquaintance that taught you humility when fighting a superior swordsman?" The tone wasn't threatening but merely addressing a fact in the past, which got the man to narrow his remaining eye on the person that was speaking to him. Fortunately the man's intelligence had dimmed over the years as well, as he tilted his head at him since the shadows were concealing his face.

"Who the fuck are you boy? You can't sound much older than sixteen, what the hell you plan on doing? Killing me to avenge some gutter ball corpse in the dumps?"

The questions were meant with a simple answer, a smile laced on the lips of the Colonel who was bemused now.

"You got it in one Ogre, I'm impressed. It took you three times to realize an answer some time ago, I guess even idiots learn time to time. My opinion of you has just went _up_ from nothing, into amusement." The pleasant tone made the man scowl angrily at the cheeks against his person, so he drew his blade at Tatsumi's form. He had enough for the word by-play and the half truths that were soon to be spurting from a line on his neck, spilling his blood onto the ground. So the Colonel would indulge his one time old opponent for a final look amongst the living, after all Evil would be purged until from his sight once he found such a thing.

"Show yourself, you bastard boy."

And he did, stepping into the moonlight with a smile that gave him a sinister appearance to make the man gasp in shock as pain laced the side of his face. The Captains body quivered as phantom memories of an upstart Army Lieutenant reached his brain, the face was there but merely grown into a maturer fighter that he once fought on these very streets. Fear and anger gripped the man's face, as Colonel 'Saber' stood before him with one hand on his sheathed blade on his hip.

"I've heard some particularly _bad_ things about you, Ogre. I warned you years ago if you abused your station and authority, I'd come to finish the job and let me assure you: I've come to_ finish_ you off!"

The man drew both of his blades, from behind him.

"I remember you, that foolish lad who spoke of Justice and Hope for the Empire. I see you still cling to that pathetic idealism."

Tatsumi merely smiled, "Yet that idealism cost you an eye and now..."

A blur of white and a sharp intake of breath, as the Colonel appeared behind the man. Sheathing his Saber into its place at his side, Ogre tried to move only for his vision to end in darkness. His head fell onto the ground, as his limbs flopped down severed from their shoulder blades. Blood exploded from the corpse, splattering the surrounding end street.

Slowly red liquid pooled into a small ponds worth of a mockery, as his reflection was in the mans own life-blood. It showed an unyielding gaze of emeralds, whose very cores were nothing but satisfied pools for those in the after life. The will of those tortured under the hands of Evil were given a form of vengeance and Justice, in his blade and life. A pool of blood spilled underneath the freshest corpse of the might, within the light of the moon Tatsumi's reflection was in the liquid as he stared down for a moment.

"...It cost you your life, fucking idiot."

A stranger with a face of unreadable emotion greeted his sight, as he walked through the pool of crimson...

Leaving bloodied prints that would vanish eventually, into the night itself. So with that, the first mission that Tatsumi 'Saber' had performed for Night-Raid had been completed. Nothing could be felt but satisfaction from the him, an old wound cleansed and absolutely thrilling to end another face of Evil. If only missions would be as simple in the times to come, this was just the beginning of something far beyond what the boy could expect. Tonight had been a duty, a civil service and nothing more.

Only in the near future would the real tests begin: for the young Imperial soldier.

And the weight of his actions; would form the very thing he had fought against to take hold in his heart.

**End Chapter Two**

**Author's Note:** I lied about the early November Update: so Please Review, I like the Review messages.

Why did I have the change of heart, mainly this chapter is not as important for me to withhold and at the moment, an Anonymous PM with a Link (I thought it was going to be a penis or something so I got my best 'WTF-Rage' face ready) popped up in my PM box. Long story short, I got the Image I had been searching for in order to make the Imperial-Saber an eye-catching candy of interest.

So holy crap, thank you so much for whoever you were out there!

A little tie in with Tatsumi/Ogre that kind of sheds light on how the man lost an eye. I saw a loop hole, I did it to tie a little more personal satisfaction for Tatsumi to enjoy. What does this mean for Seryu some of you ask: just wait and see, in future chapters that you'll see the consequences of his actions. Believe me, this chapter was mainly to drive the plot as the 'Assassination' mission was quick and to the point, nothing to draw out nor even create drama for. The hardest part was getting Najenda to get him to _join_ Night-Raid.

In this Fic: It's not happening, as much as I get close to it.

Beyond that, next chapter is where the 'bonds' and the 'understandings' of Tatsumi come into effect like his canon self, its setting up for something I have planned in the future which will: (I'll let you find you out, in time)

Have a good day and be safe my dear readers.


	4. Chapter III

**(A/N: **I hope that this fight scene in this chapter, satisfies your need for blood: my dear readers)

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Three**

One week had passed, seven days had flown by in that sense where he had overworked himself. Tatsumi 'Saber' took his time while cleaning and brushing down his horse again in the stables of Night-Raid's Head-Quarters, enjoying his solitude with a familiar being. His hands absently scrubbed the dirt marred onto Noburu's hide, he went out for a small ride or two when not on jobs in order to take solace that his actions were doing for his dreams of a better Empire. Tatsumi did what he could in order to remain independent of Night-Raid which had all but accepted him, as a 'member' of their group expect for a few hiccups in the partnership. It began outside of his missions with them since he hadn't really have a decent social life.

He wasn't exactly anti-social but, a bit more reserved when it came down to casual talk.

To be fair, majority of his life was on the battlefields within the Empire's borders.

So it wasn't something he was clear with at times, apart of life.

A small problem that showed during dinners he prepared since he had to cook his own meals for a time in his past. His culinary experiences were the best amongst the Legion and per-officer years which was kind of humbling since, he didn't consider himself a decent cook at all. But when surviving out in the field with hungry men and strapped resources, he had to get creative to provide his own meals and to pass on the information to the Legion's logistic cooks. At least during that time so that there was a variety of meals that could prepared if food shipments, from the Imperial supply-lines were delayed.

As they always were.

He shared the knowledge to better the morale of others at the expense of using his own tent, or quarters to experiment on the best possible methods of preparing food which could be dangerous if he had picked the wrong type of flora from the Western Territories. Painful times to see he had an iron stomach to hold down the stuff he had made over fire pits, not to mention the amount of spices to find an eatable flavor. Really fun memories to look back on, after the hell he went through.

All in all: it was a harsh and challenging time as a soldier he had to commit too, which it showed.

"_Already, three jobs and it's gotten a load off my shoulders to be actually purging the corruption from the capital. I feel like I belong here, but I have to keep telling myself this is only temporary before I return to the Imperial Palace for assignment. I'm due in three days, so I have to be prepared and understand the dangers once I leave..."_

If he were to be honest to himself, Tatsumi had found a place similar to his position amongst the early years in the Empire's Armies as a soldier rising through the ranks, learning the ropes, learning to be a better killer and all in order to become the very thing that the people of the Empire wanted. They wanted a protection, a will for their voices to be heard and to have Hope that the Empire would continue onwards into another golden age that made them have the right to live, in peace and in abundant safety. Sighing to himself, this continued partnership with Night-Raid only made a long tern goal feel like a short term relief to the grief locked inside his heart.

It was just a pain in the ass trying to move forward in life, without the need to understand the consequences of having a happy existence.

So his hand slowly scrubbed the grim and dirt off Noburu's coat of skin, he even brushed her hair to get the lose sticks off. Concentration was key in this continuous battle wills and nightmares, staying focused was solace and solace was the key to peace. Absently, his gaze drifted to the trees to see birds flying freely amongst its shaded depths and the sight became surreal enough, for him to crack a pleasant smile. This place had its moments of clarity when it came down to it, which also hid a darker side more so than usual.

"Soon, I'll be back in Capital again."

That was worth practically a headache in itself, he'd probably have to withhold the urge to track down all those that were torturing the citizens and various other people that had little voice in the world. He felt their agonies, their rage, their utter helplessness and their eyes marred his soul as the images wouldn't go away inside his mind. Gripping the wooden brush so tightly, it cracked briefly as he saw the faces of his former friends burned into his cranium, the hundreds of nailed rebel villages that cried in silent thanks to his efforts to ease their passing despite being put to death and faces of children staring at his men with horror.

Injustices, they were ordered too commit at the expense of the Prime Minister's whims.

Horror that they were ordered to display for the world, to see what happens when the many rose up to fight the abuse they withstood for so long. Everyone had a breaking point; it was just a matter of how far they'd go in order to use that point of no return to inflict revenge upon tyranny itself. Within the shadows of abusive powers of absolute authority, the Evil that plagued the Empire was flourishing now so brazenly it needed to be burned now! Absolute power always corrupted those who believe themselves above the laws that bound them, it just ate away at him to maintain a calm mind sometimes when he thought of purging it from the Empire.

His arms clenched as his body strained to withhold that ungodly like rage that made his soul wither away.

The solder within him wanted to fight for Justice and Fairness for all citizens of his country.

Disgust filled his mouth at the hundreds of potential Bureaucratic Politicians, Merchants, fallen soldiers and so many other once promising people abusing the innocent.

Rape and Drugs were so frequent in the capital alone that Tatsumi might go insane if he had to content with it under his gaze and not a person in power would allow his ideals to spread. For the power of the Empire was in the clutches of a lard of a Prime Minister who used the Emperor for his own devices and not a soul could convince the boy to see the reality of his subjects.

That duty: that mantle of responsibility as a solder to protect the Empire from Evil had certainly seared his mind into a goal that would bring the entirety of the country into a more prosperous age. He had to succeed or the many that were killed before hand would be forever silenced, as history would forget them to ever exist. That alone would make anyone trying to maintain that drive to see a better tomorrow, for all of hope and faith to be restored. If the horrors consumed the people, then their point in living was practically non-existent.

And to not exist: was an insult to the memories of loved ones who witnessed their demises.

"_Soldiers we are, we the 'Imperial-Sabers' do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down_ _ever..."_

Inhaling deeply as the chat of his Legion came back to his mind, the words that brought him confidence in the hope of the Empire would never cease in his heart and its warmth of zeal caused Tatsumi to stare back at the forests outside. His promises would not go undone, he would damned well die in hell before failing his friends and those that were with him to make the Empire see a better tomorrow.

So nothing less would justify the deaths of thousands, the hundreds daily and the tens of thousands over the years at the hands of corruption alone. Feeling resolve enter his blood stream, deep inside his veins and the eyes of a soldier once more shined bright within their emerald pupils took root once more. Looking up at the sun, Tatsumi blinked as he witnessed a weird phenomenon that made him to smile.

Staring from the clouds, he thought he saw the images of his two chil hood friends Ieyasu and Sayo grinning at him.

That spectacle he found his heart ease itself, they were with him even now.

In Death and beyond...

"_Thank you_."

With that he returned to work on his noble steed, which she nudged his hand away from her head. She was getting agitated from being cooped up inside the stables, the lack of riding distances had made her impatient and he understood it quite well. Gently rubbing the middle of her face, along the smooth crest where her noses met, the animal blew a breath of hot air into his face. Smiling affectionately, he continued his grooming and cleaning of Noburu's strong frame.

Sighing a bit bored, wondering whether what would be the best thing to make time itself fly by.

He wondered if riding to the Capital and back on her would soothe her need to run against the wind to fight the reality of growing fatter.

Chuckling at the thoughts, he spoke warmly to the animal as she grazed contently. "What do you think Noburu? Should I keep on continuing my dreams, in order to put those I lost to rest, finally? I just feel lost, you know?" Speaking to her as a person was strange, but oddly enough which got him to smile even more, he felt the need to speak his mind to relieve that burden that he carried. Apart from his childhood, Tatsumi had this horse for nearly a year now since being promoted and it showed, he still had that carefree nature to speak freely to someone who was close to him.

While Noburu may have been a horse, she was his and that was what mattered to him at this moment.

Just being with something you worked hard with, to just relax and enjoy the time spend with it.

Inhaling reflexively, the young Colonel decided to finish his day's work with his horse and leave her to own desires. After petting the side of her neck, he dumped the water from the bucket into the forest and did what he could to clean up the loose feed on the ground. Tedious tasks that kept his mind off more hurtful matters, Tatsumi could say he was developing a routine amongst the Night-Raid and that would make things ever more harder to bare once he had to leave to the Imperial Palace.

His time was coming, to face the oncoming challenges of finding help within the twisted confines of a government that would ideally hang his body to feed the crows if they knew of his intentions. So coughing a bit at the image of himself being pecked to death by the birds made him shiver; it was a horrid way to die and to have an end like that was damn right degrading.

"You having fun Tatsumi?"

Bulat, the wielder of the Incursio Armor Teigu came from the side of him, as the young Imperial Officer just shrugged indifferently at the question. His face spoke volumes in how he was concerned for the young teen's health, which was a kind gesture if the Colonel would admit such a thing. Still, he had started to respect the elder man as a figure akin to an elder sibling he never had.

"No different from the usual, bro."

Speaking that last part was strange for him to address someone who was well in the rights to be his superior during the tenure here but the former Imperial solder didn't mind the lack of formality. Bulat had taken Tatsumi under his wing per say, which was kind of ironic that technically Tatsumi outranked the former soldier if they were in the active Army at this time.

However for the sake of convinces, the Imperial-Saber just went with the motions that Bulat was his superior and direct teacher during his time amongst the Night-Raid.

Consistently training with the man was insanely difficult to maintain, but the results were quite the thing to be made. While at times, he would consider himself strong, it seemed that as a Teigu user the body had to be so condensed to be able to thrive in combat. It took massive reserves of will and strength to wield a Teigu to its maximum potential. Having the physical tenacity to withstand the stress it gave was practically insane, so one had to train in order to maintain the peak of performance.

And in this case, Balut was training to be physically stronger so that his swordsmanship could become faster, so that if he became faster he could end a fight quicker and move onwards.

The man might have questionable sexual orientation, but he knew how to train him to become more physically fit than ever than before. The routines, the motions of following a superiors instruction and feeling his own body grow stronger left so much room inside his heart to believe in the man that it hurt knowing they wouldn't fight together for so much longer. Accepting that change would come again, he just used this time to be ease amongst the assassins.

Tatsumi knew the idea of change was a horrid one to those who were complacent with power, to be in control and he had to ascend beyond his limits to take on the most destructive things in this world today. To grow stronger was but a catalyst for many more things to come in his future if he had any sort of will to reach that peak. So for that, he would train his heart and mind off into becoming a more proficient soldier that desired to reach his dreams in order for everyone to see a better, tomorrow.

"Just, bro? No, good afternoon handsome or something? Tatsumi, you're wounding my heart and I thought we had a special bond."

The man was semi-serious and playful enough to get a blank stare from the younger Imperial Officer who didn't seem amused. It took a few moments for Bulat to laugh good naturally at the boy, he wasn't a good person to understanding humor, it was just he lacked the socializing skills for most to find. Waving off the laughter as the young Colonel just stood there processing the event before eventually moving towards the inside of the stable to change into his uniform again.

Shockingly enough, the elder man didn't venture into the stables probably due to the fear of Tatsumi slicing off his testicles if as so dared to peek on him.

Or its what the Colonel believed, Bulat or bro, had a weird sense of understanding danger.

Shifting to get his attire back on, the clothes had been washed consistently by his own endeavors into the washing rooms of Night-Raid's base and more than once, he had encountered some rather _peculiar_ instances in which he found himself in. Tatsumi had run into Leone nearly naked after a shower one night, which practically forced him to draw his sword at the humanoid teigu user to keep her a good distance away and all that irritating moment. That sight made him only feel very nervous and the way she _smiled_ meant, some trouble.

His heart had raced similar to a battle he had fought on the frontier but the memory of seeing those _assets_ really hurt his sense of self-control for some time and it took some discipline on his part to continue working to wash his clothing.

And not to mention, she tried consistently to tease him about his sexuality because of his reluctance to take a girl into bed. Honestly he wasn't that interested in her at all, while humbling it just didn't settle well with him at all from his experiences. So moving on from that particular day, he had often run into the pink haired girl who finally divulged her name to him: Mine. Her name was Mine, a self proclaimed 'Genius-Sniper' who had a teigu of her own called, 'Pumpkin' if that name was recalled right in his didn't know the details about her Teigu but he assumed it had to deal with, long range support or something of that extent.

The younger girl would consistently berate him, annoying his own sense of self-control and pushing him to begin to wish physical harm onto her to just shut her mouth.

He could respect her brazen nature on the battlefield but in this case, it was stupid and deafening to listen too.

Her features struck a cord with him, since she had the facial structure and skin tone of my of the local populations in the Western Territories of the Empire. It made him realize that Mine was born half foreign and half-Imperial from both her parents, which got him somewhat sick. Did she live her life inside the Capital City to become that twisted, while childish for sure but that antagonistic towards people she didn't meet beforehand? His eyes clouded with grief once again, the people of the Empire could not bring themselves to assist an orphan like her in the very streets that were proclaimed as the 'Heart of the Empire' and whose wealth abundance saved those under the shadows of the Emperor's gaze?

It was disgraceful to not assist those in that situation and have the gall to call her a 'freak' or what not, these images were burning his justification to purge the Capital with everything he could get his hands on.

"_How far have people fallen to ignore the desperation of a child wandering the streets of the capital? Is there no Imperial Orphanage to care for such a person until they're able to decide on their lives? God damn it all, I'm going to be extra careful when I check into the Palace and try to control myself even more than I already can..."_

Moving towards his folded bundle of clothes, the young Colonel took his time getting dressed as he carefully adjusted the leather to his shoulders. Rolling them reflexively, Tatsumi felt that he was getting stronger since his gear seemed to weigh less and less as the week had gone by. He smiled to himself, it seemed that 'Bro' knew how to increase the muscle mass of a soldier and get results immediately, he wished he could have met the man when he was younger. As he grew stronger, he could fight faster and if he could fight faster, then he could prolong a fight into lengths beyond any known fighter.

The idea and potential alone was enough to get him excited to test his limits once again. Slowly a laughter built up in his chest, threatening to spill out into the world and possibly scare the crap out of anyone listening to him for that matter.

Slipping his overcoat on, he then moved onto his gloves where the ruby glistened in the afternoon light much to his dull aching chest. Slipping them on quick enough, he then was about to get his beret on before a sudden presence made him draw his Saber out immediately, as the length of the well kept weapon trailed to find its target...

"_Ah, shit."_

"Good afternoon, Tatsumi."

Sheele, the most kindest member of Night-Raid greeted him with a smile as she carried a book in her hands.

The fair woman seemingly ignored the gleaming blade as it was close to nicking her flesh, which got to nearly spill her blood over inside the stables itself. Realizing his error, the young Colonel sheathed his blade before replying with an apology that the purple haired teigu user understood all too easily. He merely was frightened and more so, embarrassed. She merely waited for him to calm down, to just watch him.

In fact, she seemingly ignored the brush with death as he adjusted his head-attire into a presentable position.

"I apologize, Miss Sheele I thought 'Bro' finally had the balls to try to peak on me. I threatened to castrate him if he tried anything _touchy_ with me before or after training. He finds it heart warming that I care about him in that sense, if you understand what I mean."

Paranoia gnarled at him, scanning the area for any sign of the Hundred-Man Slayer that particularly had a teigu full of armor. Something just felt off about this place, he had that instinct that someone had been staring at him and watching, he chalked it up as Sheele's own presence since he had seen her on the grounds reading books often during the mornings into the afternoons. Several times they had talked, short and clearly about various subjects that were brought up. Tatsumi considered her the most 'likeable' of the group in his eyes comparing to everyone else that had their own quirks for a better lack of a word.

They were decent people but at the expense of them trying to undermine the Empire, it just was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Ah, don't worry about Bulat. Despite his ways, he's a good man and just getting a good laugh from people. So, how are you today Colonel?" Sheele's questions were gentle at the least, as he eyed her for a moment before strapping on the rest of his weaponry. Adjusting a few straps here or there, the young Imperial took a moment to inhale deeply before turning around to face the kind warmhearted soul that asked him a decent question.

The day was nice after all, so be figured to start it on a good note for once during his time here.

"Tatsumi, Sheele. You can call me Tatsumi, 'Colonel' or 'Saber' are just formalities for those I don't feel comfortable with. I'm afraid I lack the experience to really talk normally, its been rare for me to actually feel at ease here. At least, off missions..."

He stumbled a bit on his words as the woman in front of him smiled again at his explanation. Within her hands was another book, probably something akin to a psychological subject that made one feel confident with their ability to talk to people. Many times she had read from under a tree overlooking on a hill, which had an amazing view of the stars at night.

One of these days, he'd have to make a trip up there with Noburu to enjoy the summer nights that the region provided during this time of the year.

"I understand, Tatsumi but it is nice to see you finally calming down. The first couple of days have been rough on you, I noticed you keep coming to the stables to clean your horse. I find it endearing that you put some much effort and time into keeping her healthy."

She opened the gate for him to move out the pen, as he picked up his parcel and moved past her tipping his head in gratitude for the respective help. He watched Noburu shift restlessly before moving out beyond the doors, seeing the full day hit him in parallel with his senses enjoying the smells. The warmth of the sun and the cool breeze made standing in the small clearing comfortable, nothing less could be said of it and anything more he'd be a naturalist in the making.

Wordlessly the woman joined him walking back to the Head-Quarters for Night-Raid, he kept to himself mainly but he had to ask something plaguing his mind. This person wasn't like the others, she wasn't from a military background nor did she seemingly have the disturbed childhood like Mine did from what he pieced together. In fact he knew only small pieces of information about everyone within Night-Raid alone and that kind of got him, curious for a better lack of a word. Tatsumi couldn't understand why these people fought at times and have the ability to be lax the next moment, it just seemed a little strange to him.

Consistency in life meant he was able to withstand the troubles against him, more so than most people his age in the Empire itself.

Perhaps this was how many people coped with their problems like he had and for what it was worth: he understood that much out of daily life among Night-Raid at the least.

"Sheele can I ask you a question, its personal if I can might add."

He kept his voice level despite the hesitation, which the elder woman heard clear as day. She looked puzzled to hear him ask before consenting to his request, "Sure, what is bothering you Tatsumi? You look troubled." That wouldn't be the half of it, as the young man sighed to find the courage to ask something out of line. He wasn't keen on such informal matters amongst friends beyond the Empire's military, so it be best to try to explain his reasoning. Staring forward the words went by his lips, which Sheele could not only smile at his attempts to develop a friendship with her.

It was a nice gesture on his part to try, mainly to understand them.

"What is your story in belonging to Night-Raid? I get Akame, Bulat and maybe Mine but you seem different from them all somehow. I might be asking too much of you and if I do offend you..."

A slender hand, gentle and firm covered his mouth to stop him from talking.

Blinking in surprise, he looked down to see his companion merely shake her head. "Don't apologize, you are merely curious and you have no ill intentions either. Stop trying to make yourself into an air-head if you have trouble in making friends, Tatsumi: it's alright." Sheele's tone wasn't chiding nor was it resentful but understanding. That was all she was doing, she understood his reasons for the moment and that made him watch her in stunned fascination. Both of her hands went behind her back, covering the book as she walked ahead of him into the base, as he followed mainly interested now.

They had some time before the next mission as she was leading him towards the main conference room where all of Night-Raid gathered as per usual.

"I grew up in the slums of the Capital, my life at the time was very clumsy as it is now, outside of taking down targets. For years before I grew up, my parents abandoned me to the dark alleyways and I sometimes wonder how I survived the time until finding jobs as an adult. If you thought I'm an airhead now, you should have seen me then..."

She trailed off as her companion listened intently to her story, making a smile appear at the full attention the young Imperial had to offer. His eyes were following her movements, his eyes trained on the words as he gave out his complete dedication to listen to someone giving experience to a friend. It made her heart, beat faster as her face felt flushed from the stern features the young boy gave off.

But she felt herself, pull back into her past.

"I had very few friends, expect for a girl I had met when I was out in the rain. She took me in as I did what jobs I could, earning money and essentially finding a happier life that could be done in the capital. She was such a good friend, kind, compassionate and just a nice person to confined it over a coffee. Honestly I tried to emulate her, even till today if you think that is a silly thing to mention."

Her face became the perfect picture of innocence, that Tatsumi vehemently denied. Why did people like her have to suffer as he knew in his heart and within his mind, the real problem would expose itself. Gazing at her with an expression akin to sadness, he beckoned her to continue while answering her own question just a moment ago.

"It is not silly to use knowledge or experience parted from someone you emulate or learn from. I think its more wise to use that in order to better yourself and eventually, pass that along to someone you know who will do such a thing Sheele."

He got interrupted softly, by the said woman who leaned forward smiling at his words.

"Someone like you, Tatsumi?"

That gentle accusation made his chest tighten from her expression alone. Why did she have to be with Night-Raid, this was a citizen of the Empire that was a result of a system in place that destroyed kindness like hers. He could only grit his teeth, as he forced an answer that crushed his spirit mentally in hopes to see more people like this woman out in the capital.

"Probably, since I do tend to listen a lot."

An irony that wasn't lost on him, he listened to many but refused to heed the policies of the Empire at heart and did all he could to undermine such disgusting orders. Again he wanted to help change the country he loved and all to avoid what he was listening too, as it cut deep into his flesh like a blade. But having far more feelings besides pain as emotions stirred within him...

Sheele looked to the outside, as her tone took a more sober turn and it made the young officer really despise the Capital City more so than ever. It'd be a miracle of god's work to get him to remain civil to anything less of what the monstrosities were alike in that city, so full of abuse, torture and death it seemed practically unstoppable to withhold purges that he wished he could initiate. His hand again gripped the handle of his Saber weapon, trying to stop an overlapping anger to boil to his face.

So he maintained a stoic expression that all soldiers of the Empire were disciplined with at the start of their trainings in the barracks of various cities.

"One night, a storm was over the Capital. A knock at the door of where myself and she were talking while passing the time, her ex-boyfriend a soldier in the Army was high on drugs, came in and nearly killed her. I can remember the expression of terror on her face as his hands were choking the life out of her, the skin turning a nasty purple and her lips a dreadful blue, it made something within me snap. She tried to pound her fists against him and I came up behind, to stab him in the heart with a kitchen knife. I can remember it so clearly, it turned out I had a natural ability to mentally kill myself off when performing Assassinations in a fight..."

Tatsumi felt himself growing sickened as his stomach twisted. A fellow soldier, one of the Empires loyal subjects had nearly killed a girl because she 'left' him and had gotten high on drugs to nearly commit a double murder. The Sabers handle nearly strained under the rage his limbs were condensing underneath the skin. Muscles were straining so hard to not release the pent up anger, as he looked at her with the most neutral expression any Officer held on his or her face.

Emotions were surging as he felt a phantom 'heat from fires' onto his skin, Tatsumi could see past horrors he had committed in order to see what the face of a soldier could adhere too. Humans had their darker sides, but he had hoped most could control them without the need to lose honor in that span of negative emotions. It seemed that is was a false hope, humans were humans and they often committed sinful acts by nature.

"_What an idiot, a disgrace to all those who shared the same path as he did. Rape, plundering, murdering are all despicable acts that I will not tolerate under my command, ever. I've done it before, killing men who violated my 'rules of war' when it came down to it and it only took several dozen over the year to make my point. The Prime Minister can rot in hell before he dares to order me such a thing..."_

He felt shame for what a soldier of the Empire would do, to their fellow country-men and citizen.

A silent piercing shame while wearing his uniform knowing that soldiers committed such acts when they knew not to dare too or face death. However he had an inkling of a thought that the man would have gotten off Scot-free in the sense to grip to his superiors to cover up such an event and sadly, it was common amongst other Legions.

Thankfully not in his, he made sure of it and if the solders didn't like those standards: they were free to go die in a ditch somewhere or walk their happy asses to the capital to find another Unit. Which was a small minority amongst his troops, thankfully for mercies to be granted by God alone. Unable to prevent moisture building within his eyes and before he could get a grip on it as Sheele noticed this sight.

The young Imperial felt someone wrap their arms around him.

"Don't cry, I know you feel sad when I speak of my tale but do not worry. It's in the past, don't shed tears for something that is over and buried. You'll be the first to cry about me in a long time, so please try to calm yourself down Tatsumi."

Gentle hands, with a firm grip allowed him to cry against her chest as the young Colonel felt his resolve waver at the faith in seeing more Evils allowed to exist. He tried to keep a strong front but the way this woman wasn't meant to become a killer, had to kill to save her friends life from a soldier no less made him sick to his stomach and it just felt like a punch to the gut literally. Trying to maintain a respect as a subject of the Empire was no small feat, he couldn't help but cry to let the pain inside him to release since become an officer of the Imperial Army and it only got worse.

This wasn't like commanding a battle. That wasn't so hard, no that was what he lived for and thrived in to become the strongest so that the citizens could see him as a protector of them. For each individual story he heard of how wrong the system of the Empire held, it only made his motivations stronger in order to stop such things under his power. That wasn't why he enlisted in the Imperial Military, he wanted something to stop that.

He became a soldier to become strong, to protect and serve his country...

But hearing a story like this was probably so common: it made him just sick.

"Forgive me, I lost my control Sheele. It's just disheartening to hear that the same person in a uniform like mine would willingly kill two woman, for being angry at a break up. All of my efforts would be a waste if I had to witness such a thing in front of me, again."

A hollow numbness wormed its way into his heart, again after a week of trying to remove such feelings, it all collapsed back onto him again. He needed more ways to combat this grief, it might be normal amongst leaders for all he knew but Tatsumi knew this was only the beginning of it. After years trained in the army, he still felt weak as any new born with a sword and things got worse once he had issued commands to wipe out hundreds of people fighting for a better life.

The world was cruel.

But he had to have hope, for without it: nothing would matter.

"You have a kind heart Tatsumi, no one can take that away from you and I mean no one. Besides, that man is dead and you are not in the same uniform as him. So, please stay strong for who you are and try not to cry for something that is finished. You have the eyes of a man who has regret and is doing whatever he can, to atone for the pain that is in your heart."

Idly her hands fixed the crinkles in his attire, occasionally adjusting a strap or two to get his uniform in pristine condition. She didn't mind him standing straight as her hands adjusted his beret to worn in the center of his forehead. The young teen was still a child at heart, but a mature one at that and she felt her own body grow warm at the tears he shed. It meant not all of the Empire had fallen to the corruption within its heart, not all of it.

Tatsumi was an example of a dream that should have come true and for it was worth: she respected him as an Officer of the Empire for his deeds.

While they were cruel initially Sheele could see that within those emerald eyes that Justice and Hope remained. Patting him down, she motioned him to continue ahead of her as the two walked side by side, enjoying the presence of support from one another and it made smiles appear. They traveled like this for a few minutes before Tatsumi asked the finishing question to her past, he wanted to hear the whole story about her arrival in Night-Raid and that spoke volumes of his firm nature to hear all sides of a tale.

"So what happened after you killed your friends ex? Did she thank you?"

Sheele's smile continued as she bowed her head, when the main door to the conference room came into their sights.

And before she opened it, her eyes held a glimmer of silent agony. "She thought I was an insane murderer because of how calm I was about killing that man. Soon after, a group of his friends tried to kill me which I dispatched them with that same calmness until the Revolutionary Army found my talents to be suitable for Night-Raid. They're good people..."

The air-head pushed herself through the doors, as Tatsumi could only stare in a quiet hurtful gaze for that woman. Is that what it came down too now, common sense being destroyed because of how a person felt about killing? No two people were the same, some reacted emotionally broken at their first kills or others were indifferent. Many still had pains within their hearts while others, felt nothing.

Just where did the line have to drawn now for others to understand the need to take a life?

Where was that line?

But a better question he had to ask himself, parallel to Sheele's tale of her experiences.

What could be more unreal in that situation: than to feel, the pain of a kill of someone close to you?

Or was it more horrifying to not feel, anything at all?

"_I don't want to think about it now, its not the time for such things to fill my mind. I have to be prepared to do tonight's mission and get ready for my formal check-in at the Imperial Palace soon after. God really must want to test my resolve, because I'll still protect the Empire along with those who are not the monsters within it."_

Shaking his head, the young Imperial moved towards the front of the room where Najenda was sitting there smoking her tobacco pipe as her eye tracked him.

Moving with the grace of a soldier of his station, Tatsumi assumed a rigid upright posture to await the briefing that was to come for tonight's mission. This was more of a personal matter now, he felt the need to display his unwavering belief in the Empire to change for the better once more. He knew hope had to be seen, one way or another starting with these Assassins as the Ex-General of the said Empire, watched him with a bored look. She commented offhandedly about how he looked standing their which was commendable, to be fair.

"The others will be here soon, be at ease Tatsumi. It'd do you good to relax yourself instead of acting like your in a formal ceremony for promotions. Trust me, use what time you can to center yourself."

Offering that little piece of personal advice, the woman leaned back in her seat idly flipping through a folder that had been given to her by Lubbock who was dozing off in the corner for a brief nap. Tatsumi could only utter a sharp yet clear answer, "Understood, Boss."

He shifted himself into a more relaxed posture then, with his knees slightly bent to keep the blood flowing in his limbs. Shifting his hands at his hand, the young Officer did what he could in order to compliant himself to get ready for true Military grind back in the Capital within the next night or two.

This was a test, another test to get himself mentally ready to deal with the higher-ups inside the Capital itself.

He wasn't going to enjoy conversing with bureaucratic politicians or the Emperor's cabinet Ministers of various positions within the government. Hell that lard of a Prime Minister was going to be a serious headache for him to deal with personally, every time he had met that piece of shit his temper had gotten shorter as a result.

"_This is going to be quite the task, even dealing with other Generals weren't as bad in the long run of things. Sure, a few were contemptuous dicks but that was just one or two, compared to the indifference many had for me. The lone Colonel amongst a detachment of Generals getting ready for a debrief, that was one stupid day..."_

Sighing to himself, the young man glanced around studying the room for the third time he had been here and it only got easier to ignore the stupidity that encircled him. It seemed that only he, Lubbock, Sheele and the Boss were inside the room...

Or so he thought as a gleam caught his eye from his right hand side.

"**Sup, Tatsumi**."

Bulat appeared to come out from an invisible cloak of sorts while inside Incursio as the Colonel felt his jaw drop. The others didn't flinch at the ability of the armor teigu as the Hundred-Man Slayer dispersed the said relic with a casual motion. His eyes were in disbelief, as he hadn't sensed his current Teacher at all and that was saying a lot to admit. Usually his attention to details were acute enough to avoid pitiful problems on hand, but the camouflage of that armor was just unreal as he could only blurt out in an awe tone of voice.

"Holy shit! That's some amazing abilities Bro! I can't believe that turning invisible, is possible?"

The elder man grinned before giving a small thumbs up, "Pretty neat trick right? Perfect for sneaking around behind enemy lines, all you have to do is keep yourself still and presto, the glories of being a ghost to your foes. It takes a lot of mental concentration to even get it down the first few times, so take this as a lesson in itself: 'Mental Fortitude can ultimately win the day for you, more so than physical confrontations.' Alright?"

The hard slap on his shoulder could be ignored as he nodded professionally taking in that lesson to heart, as the things one could do as an invisible suit of armor. That espionage potential was practically amazing, tact on enhanced strength and speed, it'd be amazing to see if one got caught to be fight their way out of an enemy stronghold. His mind drifted into the realms of a ghostly killer who lead his armies into a glorious war where the enemy would be demoralized at the sight of him and for that end only: to end a battle before it starts, was simply unreal to be seen.

"_If Incursio can make its user invisible, would a person be able to revive the dead? It'd be an interesting source of shock-soldiers to take on enemies without the need to sacrifice the living but where are the morality issues coming from? Verbal consent of bodies being uses as living shields for the comradely of the living to be saved? It would not hurt to ask, Bro or the Boss about the possibility of a dead-reviving Teigu..."_

Tatsumi cleared his throat making Bulat and Najenda look over amused respectively.

"These Teigu, do they have limits in what they can do? I mean, Incursio can make a user invisible, so would one be able to use the revive the Dead to make them into shock troopers or something? To be able to use the ability to revive souls whose experience could be imparted on the living..."

He got cut off as Bulat gave him a pitied expression on his face. It seemed like he knew where the young military tactical mindset was, but at the expense of his sorrow Tatsumi felt like a weight had been crushed onto his feet for even asking.

"You're intentions are sound and hell I'd say good but there is no Teigu within the Empire or outside of it that the First Founding Emperor made to revive the dead. Playing God is something we humans have not ever achieved or did well. So it's something that people have tried endlessly to do search for Tatsumi, once you are done: its down for the count for good and nothing brings you back."

His eyes were accepting the fact he would meet his end, as the younger soldier's gaze went to Najenda herself who leaned over to grab a book from the side of her chair. Casually tossing it over to him, as Sheele smiled to herself as to what that piece of literature entitled for the boy to read up on. Idly flipping her pipe the silver haired woman spoke up.

Tatsumi's gaze was questionable at the book itself, as the cover was written in the old language of the Imperial Texts that scholars persevered.

"That's the only book we the Revolutionary Army have picked on, its a list of most of the Teigu forged and where still narrowing down the ones still in active use today. Many have been lost, so read up on them and try to hope you can find one for your needs to achieve that 'dream' of yours 'Saber'. I'd be impressed if you didn't try to fill your head with dreams that are too good to be true."

The youngest Imperial amongst the three moved to sit nearby Sheele who offered him a chair as he sat down. Skimming the pages, he was checking out all of the possible armor types that were available in the book's imagery long since he was born were readable to his eyes. His interest was peaked now, hell he was down right grinning at such a treasure trove of information that really made him want to get his hands on Teigu.

All of this was an means to push himself ever further beyond the limits his body was achieving under the tutelage of Bulat the Hundred-Man Slayer...

"I think you have his full respect and cooperation boss." Sheele spoke out gently giggling at the attentive gaze of the young Colonel who was drinking in the information displayed on the table.

Even Balut was smiling at the enthusiasm of the boy, he had been impressed at the tenacity of growth Tatsumi took to under his wing and for once: he felt like a father in a weird, harassing sense of a teacher who loved to flirt with an unyielding student and it was all the same for fun. The ex-soldier absently looked down at the Incursio armor as it spoke on a hidden level with its current user, who knew that in time his own legacy would be placed in the hope with Colonel Tatsumi 'Saber' and that alone, was worth having faith in.

"Reminds me of an eager child I once knew, give him a treat and some attention: he'd do anything for me at a moments notice. I must have some regrets in my life, already..."

Najenda murmured to the sleeping Lubbock who shifted on the chair that he was leaned up against. Both senior members of Night-Raid could see the affection slowly rekindled in their leaders remaining eye, they kept silent out of mutual respect for her own past wounds and could only see the future within the young Imperial sitting right next to them. Another page flipped as the boy seemed content on reading various Imperial-Relics documented on its parchment.

Respect and admiration were filling two emerald eyes.

Only for Sheele to look up from her own book, asking Bulat a question that made him swear out loud to make his face go bone white.

The air-head had intentionally waited for this moment to just get back at the other member of Night-Raid for disturbing her 'conversation' in the hall and in the stables as well.

"By the way Bulat, why were you peeking through the window again to see Tatsumi changing while Incursio was active? I couldn't help but see you when he and I were having a 'private' conversation with him. In fact you've been there for a few days during the mornings when he's cleaning Noburu..."

The temperature of the room froze within a matter of seconds.

"Oh...fuck..."

And all that admiration with respect was gone: in an instant.

Najenda started laughing her ass off as she fell onto her side, trying to form a warning as Tatsumi literally went rigid in his seat when the kind woman asked his teacher, those questions. Very slowly he got up from his seat, careful to not hit the smiling off-beat woman that he considered a friend now, to let loose his murderous intent as it filled the conference room. Tatsumi's eyes were blazing with rage that put most women who caught men peeking on them in baths, to shame and for what it was worth it made even Lubbock chuckle in his seat more so.

And he was supposedly asleep.

"You mean to say, you were invisible watching me change in the stables and when I had to wash the bruises down my entire body: you _stood _there. After all that crap about trusting you to my teaching and you have the audacity to say 'Mental Fortitude prevails over a physical confrontation?'."

A smile appeared, one that wasn't meant to be comforting. Tatsumi drew his Saber so quickly, it chimed an echo as it quivered when he pointed at his teacher's genital area and the man raced his hands up in a mock surrender as if enjoying the enraged boy try to take out his pent up frustrations. Tremors racked his arm as that insulting image appeared in his mind, numerous times.

The Imperial Officer moved one foot at a time clearly lining up a strike to cut the man's ball sack clean off.

But before he could even consider an action laughter came from the front of the room where the doors were wide open.

Leone, Mine and Akame were all laughing in their own ways making Tatsumi's face burn with embarrassment. Never in his life had he suffered such a degrading sense of violation, it felt like his body had been dirtied in the sense that no soap would remove the stain as Bulat laughed a bit as well. He leaned back crossing his arms, replying cheekily but nonetheless was serious about the meaning behind the reveal.

"You did say 'stay out of the stables' when you were changing Tatsumi, it's not my fault you do not notice an enemy hiding in plain sight. Just be more attentive about your surroundings next time, its just a test that has more _appealing_ results if you fail and I gotta say, you are well worth my time."

The facial expression of the younger boy didn't make him feel any remotely safe with that sharpened Saber pointed at his crotch. Eventually he'd catch on but Sheele, had spoiled the fun about using stealth to study a targets details while on the mission. But it was entertainment, nonetheless on such a healthy male body like his students and it was worth it, for now.

The silent giggles and laughter were still going on as Tatsumi sheathed his Saber finally.

_"I have never felt this violated ever, I'm closing all the windows from on now and I don't care if it is a hundred degrees outside either."_

He shuddered as a voice of reason came back to sway off the jokes for the moment.

Najenda wiped a tear off her eye, "There's some truth in that 'Saber' so relax, better here than some distant tent were your throat will be slit. Alright, enough of the peeking 'tests' we got a major mission lined up tonight and its a rouge teigu user that is making himself an open season in the capital. Lubbock, get over here and get the information ready, you had you laughs about the peeping-tom."

The Night-Raid leader said covering her chuckles as her cheeks were flushed red, as the green haired Scout of the group passed by Bulat to give him a passing 'fist-bump' of respect as a fellow peeping-tom and that signaled Tatsumi to scowl angrily at that.

Sheele gave him a supporting hand, using her gentle motions to ease the boy down from committing a full on assault on his teacher. But eventually the silliness died down, as Najenda placed down documents that had been gathered by her oldest subordinate who sat near the side of her with his hands crossed behind his head, bored a bit.

Flipping through them, the 'Boss' of Night-Raid took out her pipe to address her full team now.

"As of last night, the teigu 'Spectator' and its wielder have been confirmed to have taken up shop at the Capital and is murdering its citizens at night. We've been tasked to take him out and get that Teigu into Revolutionary Army hands immediately."

She opened the dossier on a well kept male, who seemingly degraded before their very eyes as facts came out from the sheets of information that Lubbock dug up almost too easily. Tatsumi had to briefly wonder if he could get the older teen to become his main espionage agent, because this efficiency was way too damned good compared to the reports to he had to read up on during his time in the Legion.

"It's user is a man named Zank, a former Prison Warden who beheaded all those that were sentenced to death. His origins are meaningless, so for the moment we have to send in two teams to cover the areas that he has been operating in. Be aware, he is losing mental control as the Teigu eats away at his consciousness every day."

Najenda labored in the most bored tone, to go through the lesser inclined facts, as she eyed the way that everyone was soaking in the information collected. It took a few minutes to allow her team to read up on the targets they were after and it was quite the opportunity to get new blood into their cause, as she eyed the Imperial Colonel with a calculative gaze. Time was up their target and other things as well, she could only brace for the worst possible outcomes as her mind went ahead to eventually hear a question from the said boy himself.

"What abilities does this Teigu have? Anything since every little piece would be fortunate before we enter combat with this, man. Boss, any insight on what to expect?" Tatsumi referred to her formally and seriously enough to humor him. She smirked, before flipping a clipped series of papers on witness accounts of what the Teigu called 'Spectator' did to its victims. His eyes narrowed as he zeroed in on key pieces of information that were gathered, while the rest of the Night-Raid awaited more information from her directly which was a bummer.

She saw the grin on Leone's face to further get her agitated as she leaned back against her chair inhaling the tobacco leaves.

Not one of them liked to read, expect for the lone Imperial Officer not apart of their group officially.

"Spectator gives its user an edge in single combat, able to get inside your mind and essentially use what you fear, desire or wish for the most to distract you and kill you. It enhances the ability to dodge and fight as any other Teigu, so by all means prepare for the worst. Do not let up and do not show any openings as this man is clearly deranged, capable enough to evade capture. That is the basis of what we know, so if anything unexpected happens: assume the user is skilled enough to use to its full potential."

She waited for questions to be said, but everyone took things enough to be ready for what they about to handle tonight. Only the lone person without a Teigu had taken the briefing seriously, perhaps a side effect of sitting though many as a soldier and Najenda understood that aspect of life. Waving her metallic gauntlet, the Night-Raid group all started to leave the room leaving only three individuals inside the conference room.

Tatsumi, herself and Lubbock who flipped a chair around to lean on its frame facing the both of them at the table, he was there for security mainly and his uneasiness to leave her alone. Which was heart warming for a nice word, as the Colonel skimmed line after line on the table and his eyes weren't blinking as often as many would notice. Cupping her chin with her remaining natural arm, the woman waited for him to speak his mind about the upcoming assignment which was going to be his last with them: a shame really...

"The lack of any fighting style or details about his methods are going to be a pain. I don't see any confirmed known flaws with the man. I can only assume he is that good of a fighter or is information tightly locked about 'Spectator'?" On any normal Assassination mission, he would less inclined to wing it based on the details provided but fighting a rouge Teigu user was going to be a challenge. One he desperately wanted to see if he could push himself further beyond what was possible for him, fighting one in single combat would be the perfect chance to test his will to achieve his dreams. Fighting for a better Empire, to fight for Hope and for Justice to flourish in this nightmare of a forsaken world.

Colonel 'Saber' Tatsumi was ready for battle and instead of leading a Legion of Ten-thousand soldiers.

He was going solo: with a small team to take on an opponent that could kill hundreds on his own.

And that excitement rocked his core, to the point where a smile formed despite his questioning.

"Both, I'm afraid. Lubbock does his assignments beyond the standards of others would do, the best thing I recommend you do Colonel is just hold your own and have Akame preferably kill him with one strike. Her blade can do that after all, so support her and you'll win the day if things go to plan accordingly."

While the plan seemed easy to say, there was a saying amongst the Imperial tacticians: '_No Plan survived first contact, with the enemy_', so needless to say Tatsumi 'Saber' was nervous. The lack of information got men killed, soldiers lives wasted over trivial dangers not mentioned in reports when marching onto hostile territories. Najenda could see the wariness in his eyes and it made her smirk, the boy would have fit in the most perfectible way amongst them despite his origins of being an Imperial Soldier.

"You do realize, someone might die."

Lubbock raised an eyebrow, at the statement from the Imperial who gave him a flat look in response to his next questions."You aren't apart of us, so why would you care if one of us dies. I thought 'partnership' was our arrangement with you and not feelings of comradely. Second guessing your intentions, after a week here?" Najenda didn't have to warn her long time subordinate of such a throned question as the Saber aimed at the side of his throat, made the green haired teen sweat from the speeds that Tatsumi drew his weapon out. Two emerald eyes were emotionless, as if the taunts had given way to the soldier beneath that kind smiling face a teen, who dreamed of 'Justice' and 'Hope' which the dark reality of the path he took.

She kept her eyes on the two youngsters, just in case she had to step in from one trying to kill the other in the crossfires.

"I _appreciate_ your efforts for this mission but question my loyalty to the Empire ever again and I will cut out your tongue. My time here has been invested well enough that I do _care_ for some of the people trying to find their paths in this life and for the record: I never second guess myself."

Lubbock gave a deadpan stare at the younger boy, who removed the tip of his weapon to sheath it at his side, as it gave a prominent 'clank' as metal met metal. It took a few moments for tensions to boil down and for what it was worth, it got the Night-Raid leader a bit down-ridden to see such a potential asset leave their services for some time.

He had proven his worth.

Enough, to make her return the favors somehow.

"Aside from tongues being cut, personally I like them well done, you do realize your time is up amongst us for now 'Saber', at least having the time to be here daily. What are you going to do once you report the Imperial Palace, we can not send messages inside those grounds unless you meet Lubbock here inside the Capital itself from a safe point. If you do come through with inside info, it'd be a boon to have a contact inside near the Prime Minister."

Najenda inhaled her tobacco to ease herself from a phantom pain in her shoulder area, as Tatsumi pondered his next answers with care. He knew that time was growing short to make some pretty crucial decisions and having to play the double agent was a suicidal job, even if the information was always accurate to the letters about the Empire's top command structure.

"I don't know anything about my post in the Palace. For now, I'll complete this mission and use all my strength get you that Teigu 'Spectator', at least to prove my value to Night-Raid as part of my deal. I only ask that you keep hitting the most _vile_ of Evil within the Capital and I'll do what I can to make the damage control provide you a smokescreen to hit more. Eventually it'll be useless, but its a start for the Empire to become a better place for its citizens to see a better tomorrow..."

Getting up onto his feet, the young Imperial grabbed the book that she had given him and she spoke up grinning a bit.

"Keep that book, its yours now. We have a dozen copies in the Revolutionary Armies stores, they gave me that as an 'authentic' trophy to carry, use it well and perhaps you'll find a Teigu someday that will respond to you Tatsumi 'Saber'." Lubbock was a bit peeved at not receiving a gift from his long time love interest, he felt betrayed in a childish manner as the silver haired woman smiled at him for his antics. Only one among them felt a bit regretful in not staying, but his heart lay with the Empire and its potential to become a glorious center for all to flourish under its banner.

The young Imperial Officer would not fail in his vows, nor his promises as he closed the doors to the conference room itself.

Knowing that this was the last time he would see it again.

And he prepared his belongings, it was time to report in.

For he would enter a battle, for his future once more in the dark grips of the night...

* * *

><p>Tatsumi stood there in the soon to be deserted street as the sun had fallen behind the horizon, as he waited for anyone shady enough tail him as the light left the confines of the sky. Playing the cat and mouse game had its merits, but playing the victim as something he particularly hated to do since it just undermined his potential to launch a fatal blow to his opponent. However he had to draw this psycho murderer out of hiding somehow, he had to volunteer his pride in order to play the ignorant citizen to lure the predator out.<p>

Walking along the side-ally ways were one thing, but to actively see the beggars hide in their cardboard boxes made his stomach sickened. It seemed that trouble loved to make him have company, as the majority of Night-Raid had split into pairs leaving him the odd-man out with one team consistently tailing him to see if Zank the 'Executioner' would try his luck to get more victims tonight. Ideally any person looking like him would be avoided, but Akame of all people had suggested that he go out in full uniform to entice the mad-teigu user to see if he could kill a much more stronger prey item, namely an officer of the Imperial Army and it made sense...

"_I hate you Akame, I hope you starve tonight since I'm leaving anyways. Eat the bland food before I got there, so ha!"_

He was kinda still sore about this to be fair about it.

The logic of this was in a blend of the 'kill bigger game and get more heads cut off' type of thing and Tatsumi really, wanted to avoid anymore innocent casualties. So he went with the plan and hopefully, would encounter this beast of a man tonight. It was similar to how he took out Captain Ogre, but this was entirely a new tier of opponent that he had not faced at all in his time amongst the Imperial-Saber Legion in the Western Frontiers and that got him anxious. Enough to grip his Saber-handle with the force to crush a rock in his hands, as he eyed the corners he passed through his trip in the slums of the Capital City.

Inhaling the cool air, the Colonel just walked patiently trying to find any signs of victims or potential ambush sights.

Hell he swore as God as his witness, that finding ambush sites was just crazy.

"Such a nice night, at the least."

The moon was full, skies were clear enough for the stars to sparkle overhead and the young Imperial Officer just enjoyed the calm peace of the city. For once, perhaps he would form a decent police force to patrol the streets to keep the people safe in their homes and to avoid the need for them worry about the possibility of being murdered to enjoy the night life.

He wished it were so but the lack of bodies on the ground indicated 'fear' had taken root in its place of hope and for that alone, was enough to make him stand vigilant.

Walking calmly through another side street, the young Colonel could only feel depressed at seeing some small bodies scurry out of his sight, children at their ages without a home or roof over their heads was simply: disheartening...

"_All the wealth in the Empire and not a single soul, lifts a coin to help build a decent Orphanage which would assist future generations to find their way when they're adults. Now, pickpockets and thievery are so common the Prime Ministers uses that as excuse to public crucify people trying to get by. I really want to stick that lard and let him bleed so the pigs can eat his guts out..."_

Glancing over at smaller alley, he veered away from it going over an arch way of a bridge that was lit with enough light to give the one time structure a sense of beauty. The rotting flowers and lack of cleaned granite just made it look dead, as he stared at the skies with his hands in his overcoat which protected him from the cooling temperatures. Playing the bait really made things slow, not to mention he doubted that this would even work since he was obviously armed to taunt anyone willing to combat him under the Empire's Capital and still the odds were low for anyone to think that it was possible.

However, Akame reasoned with him that the man would see an ample target and just act on it.

So if he didn't it was just to scare the local criminals off.

Blinking a bit sleepy, he yawned moving towards a more open area just wanting to end the night so be he could check into a tavern to rest before dealing with the politicians of the Empire...

"_What the fuck?"_

Someone moved ahead of him, he caught a glimpse of a white uniform and a feminine figure. Well, this was just an odd turn of events which quite frankly just screamed like a trap to him but his kinder nature took hold. Was she lost perhaps? Or even just exploring the city like he was now? If that were so, why the need to run from his sight? Did something occur that he should find out?

So many questions were filling his head, now more than ever.

Details emerged, a uniform of some kind. Why was there another soldier out like tonight? Curious he moved after the person, as she from what he gathered lead him towards a more well endeared part of the city and it was odd. Feeling his body quiver from the cold, he walked faster trying to maintain eye contact with this nimble Imperial soldier and it was getting annoying to move quicker to find out who it was.

He caught glimpses of blue hair but that was it...

And some sort of sword on the side, with no detailed marks to place to his memory. Call him crazy but why did this woman feel like more of a premonition as he continuously hounded the fleeting figure that was just of out sight. Growling frustrated, Tatsumi moved fast enough he caught more details of this mysterious person and it was irritating the living shit out of him, to place a familiar face to this shadowed person. Not a soul in his time alive, could fit that description his mind formed.

As all chases, they came to an end.

He stopped he came to through an over arching marble park where a small pond was in the middle, surrounding by the bay it was built on the shores off.

The moon revealed the mystery person as his eyes widened in disbelief, as this was perhaps the most _strangest_ sense of the future he could ever imagine. Apart of him felt compelled to hold this girl, to hold her in his arms and whisper comforting words that made him question his sanity. An instinct that surged forth and it scared him for all intensive purposes. There was something familiar, really that genuine curiosity was there but, it didn't sense as to why.

The person dressed in a uniform but, not of the Empire that he had seen.

Most adults would have leaner builds and this was a girl, literally.

Not a woman, but a young teenager like himself.

She had a lighter shade of green eyes, a distant facial structure similar to his own yet had smoothness to it that seemed to make her alluring and she had long dark blue hair that stretched from her bangs covering her eyes down her back. Her clothing was something akin to a Danger-Beasts furred hide, as the pants were covered in a tiger fur and her vest was lined with teeth from something that was literally a predator. And what the scariest part of this girl was that, when she looked up at him. The back of his neck felt tremors signals from his mind, shock and awe.

As her smile, that deja-vu was in the same fashion that he did to others when meeting them respectfully on the field of battle but the most weirdest thing wasn't even that as much as it bothered him. His heart beat quickened as a phantom sense of pride danced in her orbs and something akin to affection. Why did his body react in such a way, that it didn't make sense.

Her cheek had a mark of some kind: a tiny tattoo of sorts as she looked at him intently...

"What in the **hell **am I looking at here?"

The girl disappeared as an eerie chuckle, followed by a clapping sound made the young Colonel scowl in obvious annoyance.

Tatsumi started to mentally kick his own ass! The warnings from Najenda had all but been ignored, so this was really how he fell into it? Did he just fall for the most obvious, fucking ambush and had to be the most gullible...

"...Idiot in the world? Little Saber? Is that what you were thinking?"

A man's voice giggled as if finding the most amusing he had ever heard. The frame of this man towered over him, as a monstrosity of a human looked down at Tatsumi's own firm gaze as they stood opposite on the clearing under the full shine of the moon which wasn't yielding to the darkness of the night. To most this guy seemed imposing but the more scarier thing was that head gear of his, that Teigu. The center of its eye flashed dangerously to make him feel uneasy, if this thing could see the future: the challenges were getting quite intense.

"Zank the Executioner, how kind of you to invite me to a battle. I'd say your little trick got me good, almost didn't realize it until I had no clue as to who you used to bait me out. Saved me the time to snap out of it, really..."

Tensely maintaining a firm stance, he kept one hand on his Sheathed Saber as Tatsumi gauged the surroundings for any sort of tactical advantage, sadly it was an open field of sorts and that meant nothing to hide if Zank were a ranged fighter. According to the reports, it wasn't likely but he kept his discipline to let this Evil scum to make his move. However it seemed that Zank had other ideas, as he started to clap and laugh so loudly it echoed over the body of water their immediate right hand side. Tatsumi Saber did not back down in the face of Evil, as he stood his ground. Waiting for an opportunity to strike the first blow, if he could.

"My Teigu used your own hearts most cherished loved one to bait you out little Saber, I'm curious: who did you see?"

Tatsumi replied warily, studying that green metallic eye on the man's forehead.

"I'll tell you whenever I figure it out, so until then: just shut your mouth Zank."

Apparently that 'Spectator' was able to use illusions of some sort, plus it seemingly could predict every move he had beforehand and that was quite troubling. Could he fight something that literally saw the future far enough for its user to turn the tide of battle? This whole mission was dangerous from the start but actually facing down this guy in solo combat was very, thrilling in the sense he had to use his own judgment to make decisions again. A smile wormed onto his face, the ability to see into the future and use it an advantage would do wonders when leading a Legion into battle.

But his mental musings got interrupted by the man, who he was going to kill and save those from being victims in the process.

Seemed like he knew what he what went through his mind recently.

"This is strange, I don't know whether I should be happy or interested. I've encountered hundreds of people, little Saber and none of them have _never _felt the way you are now. Excitement? Thrills? A challenge you say? You've been dying to find a means to measure your growth in order to achieve a dream of yours. Ah, that ideal of yours and I apologize for mistaking it..." Zank giggled psychotically as he tilted his head with his arms spread out wide as he laughed deranged. The young Colonel could only stare silently, waiting for this madness to end on its own.

"Oh I _see_ it, you want to change the Empire to become something that is impossible to achieve. What a pitiful dream, acting as a foolish Hero is what you try to strive for but in the end you are no different from the countless Monsters that inhabit that Imperial Capital little Saber. You're lying to yourself, more so about your own pasts."

Okay, now anger surged through Tatsumi at the expense of his blade being readied, as the deranged Teigu user howled with laughter before stretching a hand to the skies as if mocking a moment he had back into his past. His desires burned within his heart as he glared at the soon to be dead man who was laughing so hysterically, his voice cracked. His Teigu flashing briefly, as it locked onto his frame.

"Wow! That's such a _burning_ fire for Hope and Justice, little Saber! I can't believe it! Youngsters these days thinking they can change the world and not see that such a thing, is not going to happen because monsters already thrive in it. Give me a duel so I may remember your name, little Saber and I'll be sure to mark you as my greatest kill yet."

Sliding into a stance, Tatsumi kept his tone level as much as possible, this anxiety started to make his body produce adrenaline which rivaled his times on the battlefields commanding his former Legion. The sensations were familiar, welcomed and very well supported to test his growth against a Teigu user after finding a means to become stronger in the Army.

As much as he wanted to deny these feelings, the young Imperial couldn't help but silently smile at the chance to further himself to become stronger.

Because if he got stronger, than he had a better chance to move that much closer to his dream.

"You claim to see the future, right Zank? If that is the case you must know, killing me will be impossible since you don't have the _right_ to even try." The man only grinned before motioning him to charge as the Imperial-Relic activated on top of forehead, making the Imperial-Saber grin in compliance with the initiation. The ex-warden of a prison may have been scum but at least he was open in his actions, to fight him head on and so for that...

Tatsumi Saber would fight with all his might against this new tier of opponent.

He dashed forward slamming his blade against the insane 'Spectator' User who laughed as his dual short swords forced the Colonel back several meters. Sparks formed as metal met metal at the epicenter of their duel, as Tatsumi narrowed his gaze onto that Teigu mainly expecting it to shot some sort of hidden bullet to get his body into a more suitable position to be killed.

Fortunately he easily avoided another vertical slash from the crazed Teigu-user as he back peddled for a moment.

"I just cut peoples heads off little Saber but don't worry, you'll find out how."

Again with the talking!

This got old after the first few seconds.

Suddenly Tatsumi gripped his forehead as a sharp piecing sensation went through his head. Gasping for air he narrowly parried another strike from Zank as he sought to overpower his mental will to make physical defenses sloppy. Giving the man credit, he shoulder rolled out of the way of a sword strike that crushed the ground beneath his previous spot. That would've been quite difficult to get up from and that made him respect such an opponent, this was the real deal.

Panting as sweat dripped down his neck, the insane-man kept on running his mouth.

"You like that headache little Saber? It's just 'Spectator' finding the right _nightmares_ for me to use against you. Its just taking a little longer than usual for you to see what you are hiding from yourself, in order to maintain the illusion of control. Are you scared of losing 'hope' and 'faith' in the Empire little Saber? I'll show you your own worst nightmares, let us see what makes you squirm at night."

Tatsumi stumbled as he felt a dizziness overwhelmed him momentarily...

"Oh what a nightmare you have, Colonel Tatsumi Saber of the West!"

* * *

><p><em>The village burned around him, as the screams of its inhabitants begged for mercy, gazing around him a younger Tatsumi who had been in the army for nearly a year. One year, just yesterday his tenth birthday. Grief and confusion reined inside, as his fellow comrades: men who were kind and fair to him,to plunder the latest village that rebelled against the Governor the Empire had installed in the region. He watched, adults that taught him the meaning of being a soldier torch buildings with people still inside their homes. His sword shaking in hand, the stain of blood dripping down from the length as bodies lay strung out to be eaten the by crows gathering in the skies.<br>_

_Smoke concealed the moon and the setting sun, as blood spilled in the name of the Empire reined onto the earth._

_Shrieks of agony filled his ears._

_Cries of help frequent and never ending._

"_Stop it!"_

_His child like eyes witnessing agonizing burnings of humans whose flesh was being seared and became charred like black mockeries of statues as they ran trying to stop the untold pains that their bodies registered. It was like a sick twisted cook out when one hunted an animal for dinner, except his vomited his stomachs contents onto the ground, near a small pile of flames. The sizzling sounds mocked the real thing, as skin was being branded by the mark of slavery and he watched as people were branded as they were taken against their wills from families protecting each other.  
><em>

_The smells alone made him near feint..._

"_Please have mercy! She's just a child!"_

_Two grown men, that he had known since enlisting separated a mother and a small girl, probably his own age as they cried for any sort of help. Their eyes darting desperately trying to find anyone to help them as their clothes were torn asunder from bodies less bruised from the muggings that the Empire's Armies were doing. And within a matter of moments, the two men were raping both females who were screaming for help. Soldiers openly violating a family, as the blood of their husband was flowing freely on the side of them. He had given the mercy to die, for he had use to those openly yearning for flesh of a domination that made those cry out in tearful abandon.  
><em>

_Tatsumi watched as the husband's head got stuck on a spear tip, with the eyes ripped out._

_And the nerve endings of his former sockets dripping with brain matter yanked from within his skull._

_Let the living suffer and the dead, finding their eyes to see..._

_Damning him..._

_Damning his soul..._

_And damning his very life in what was allowed to happen: having nothing than the sword on his back to watch the glory of War strike him in his heart. The heart of a child no more, he had killed and now was watching the rape of his fellow country-men. Families murdered, innocents killed and now this utterly unbelievable hell he was watching. It had to stop, it had to stop or he couldn't take that stares..._

_"This is not justice! This is not Glory! This is..."_

_Falling to his knees, the young Tatsumi cried out to the heavens to show his hate for this life!_

_His sword, stained crimson and glistening in the fire's light, dropped to the ground with a resounding 'clank' near the bodies on the ground/_

_Pleading to stop this nightmare from occurring..._

_As he looked around him, a boy's head was cleaved in two as blood splattered onto his face. Bodies being piled up as rape became evident, with woman, children crying and calling out for help. Someone grasped his shoulder as he was veered around, his eyes widened at the shadowed figure seeing the blood drip down the face and the hell that held his heard suddenly burn as the flames of the village collapsed slowly.  
><em>

_One by one, as rape and murder surrounded his place in the street._

_Blood of his sins, his actions formed at his feet as he screamed to the skies that were clogged with smoke._

_That damned single laugh, echoed in his ears as his eyes widened when he witnessed a rumbling from behind him._

_It had to stop, it had to stop, it had to stop, IT HAD TO..._

"_STOP!_

* * *

><p>"STOP!"<p>

Tatsumi cried out enraged as memories of his first experiences in the Empire's Army came to light, as he hissed out angrily fighting off the Teigu's purpose. His eyes so full of hatred, he felt his face tighten into an unspeakable feeling that Zank paused for a moment trying to read what he was sensing. The emotions were boiling into a hot, unyielding desire to main, to slice, to_ kill _him and do so much **more**_._ All sense of rational thought, all sense of justice and hope fled as a heat less burning desire to main and to cut this scum into nothing but pieces reined down.

He wanted to utterly: destroy this things _existence_ in front of his eyes.

These thoughts were consuming the young man whose very goal was to end sights such as that in his sight, he would stop all the injustice that was caused and end the corruption within the Empire at all costs. He didn't want to witness such a nightmare ever again. No such nightmare would happen if he had his way and he'd damned God itself in order to make the Empire a place of Justice and Hope.

"You want to see what drives me, Zank?"

The laughter escaped his throat as the man took a moment to step back.

"Want to see what really is going to make my night? You fucking mockery of an _Executioner."_

Crouching down into a loose stance, Tatsumi raised his Saber to place in between his index and thumb fingers, with the ruby ring of penance on his s wordless limb. His eyes became hard as stone, as all thoughts eased to function within his brain and for once, Zank could feel his heart grow cold as his Teigu read nothing but a blank void.

This void so deep and utterly cold, the man gasped as an image of his body hitting the ground multiple times forced him to snarl out angrily!

"You can shield your mind from me? Hell that doesn't matter but I can still predict where you will...ACK!"

Nothing?

That was odd.

"He just vanished? I just saw him, I saw him about to move but that's impossible..."

His chest lurched as he looked down to see a gaping gash run the length of his ribs across into his heart, as the blood was being pumped from the organ over his coat. Saturating the clothing until it was a dark black coloration, Zank felt his vision dim as he looked behind his shoulder to see Colonel 'Saber' literally wipe the blood off his weapon. No way did he just get wasted in one move, not a chance as his Far-sight predicted the movement. He _saw_ that movement, that sword thrust but why was straining to stay amongst the living! His far-sight could see it but he was still hit!

"Impossible!"

Desperately gasping for air, the young soldier did not speak for a few minutes as his rage became subdued, turning to face the soon to be dead man.

"...How?..."

Wheezing that word out as Tatsumi spun around before smiling as if disappointed in the man himself which was practically true. What an arrogant opponent, really did all Teigu-users have to be this blatant about their attacks or confidence in seeing what they were becoming. The battlefields against the rebellions were more clever and demanding than this! The man made one stupid decision and it was over.

So why in the hell was he scared of this piece of shit in the first place? He was Evil, but at its stupidest form, just a mindless dog that had a bigger bark than its own bite and it pissed off the wrong creature. Tatsumi spat to the side feeling the urge to continue destroying the face of Evil, his blood demanded such action!

Him.

And his purposes...

"You may see the things that can make people lose their edge, but against me: you really should have _shut the fuck up! _Making me relive that particular day is something I would not wish on my enemies but you had to try it, that little all-seeing-eye of yours could not _keep up_ with my techniques. But in case it's too much of a simpleton like you to understand, I'll spell it out for you personally..."

The laughing started, it was low as his face became a twisted visage of what he normally would be, Zank's eyes widened in horror as he felt other piercing strike that caused him to scream, as another blade had sliced both of his arms off. A darker side lay to all those who fought for the good of the world, scars were left and unchecked on a person who would try to prevent others from experiencing the same hurt wrenching visions that plagued man's life.

Beyond the kind heart that beat within his chest, Tatsumi held the darkness of an anger of the dead that sought to reclaim their tormentors lives through death. He was their instrument, he would slay the Evil in the world, to end the corruption, so that no more of what happened that night would occur again and he would never falter against its face once it arose up to kill him. The Imperial-Saber was not for glory, but hope to purge all Evil within its sight.

Unfortunately, for two former limbs of Executioner were on the ground, twitching as nerves didn't register the brain no longer controlling their contractions. Blood splattered onto his face, when the droplets began dripping past his eyes as he clenched his Saber's hilt. Words began to pour out of his mouth, so full of hatred and utter delight that Zank began to cry as he felt the cool tip of a blade at the left side of his neck. Nearly tantalizing the remaining functioning part of his brain, to feel the tender care of an adversary as he was about to end your life, Tatsumi 'Saber' had a dark side like all men who fought in war.

Only he would remember the Evil that he purged, so that more would fall into his path and eventually, lead to the very core of where it spawned from inside the Empire. Here in the heart of his beloved country, he would end that source of Evil and the corruption as he had promised to do. Voices of hope whispered into his ears, the Hope of the many that had been violently snuffed out and never given a chance to fight for their lives were lending their will for vengeance empower him.

The weight the thousands he had killed, against the power of the tens of thousands he would fight for in order to bring a new hope for tomorrow for the Empire. Either way, he would accomplish this goal, this dream or ambition if one were to be certain of it.

"_Soldiers we are: we the Imperial-Sabers do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, so we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down_, _**ever**_."

Or he would do it, die trying...

The dying man focused onto the words, as his Teigu completely opens its metallic eyelid as his eyes widened in horror to see the true face of a soldier that had seen the atrocities committed as a child. Fire and Death were what his Teigu could view, as images flashed Zank whose mind couldn't comprehend the destruction of villages, of hundreds of corpses piled up and the unholy rage that consumed this 'shell' of a teenager. And for that alone, he could only whisper a statement as blood seeped past his lips making Tatsumi only laugh out loud at the compliment...

"...You're a...monster..."

The Colonel's defense was a mere reply.

"To Evil I am, but to the Empire: I'm its protector."

The soon to be dead warden only started to laugh, laughing so loudly that it echoed into the shadows of the Capital. His eyes were so gleeful despite their last images of his death, he saw something in the future of the boy who played the Hero, he could see the image of a monster towering over the boy and for that reason alone: he gave a warning.

"No, not a protector...you're hiding the very thing, that you are afraid to admit..."

_"What?"_

That familiar feeling of a when a man knew your greatest regrets formed, his eyes flickered briefly.

"...That memory, had more to it...oh, there was so much more..."

Zank's wheezed passages for air as he continued.

"You hear...the voices...don't you? Saber..."

Tatsumi blinked halting in his place, his breathing hitched at the back of his throat.

_Just another fucking demon!_

_Die!_

_You're nothing but a monster!_

_Just, die!_

_Betrayer of blood, burn in hell!_

_"..._Yes those are the ones, crying out pleading their agonies..."

"No!"

His hand gripped the side of his head, as the man's voice was nearly poison to his own body.

"...Yes little Saber, those thoughts of Justice and Hope, are nothing more than..."

Tatsumi started down at the prone form of the man and could only, gnash his teeth together so tightly his gums split in a gush of red.

"...You're...a...**murderer**!"

The Teigu flashed brightly as the green light bathed the face of the boy who went silent, listening to the howling gurgling laughter of the crazed Warden who finally could smile despite the pain. It sickened him to his very core, he could only stare down with an expression of apocalyptic fury that rivaled the gods and the storms that destroyed all in their paths. His body became nothing more than a molten field of rage itself.

"Die."

One last statement came from the man, who smiled gleefully as the Saber came closer towards his vision.

"...I'll save a spot for you, next to me in my cell...in Hell!"

The Saber's blade sliced Zank's skull cleaning off as it was sent tumbling to the ground, with the rest of his torso following suit. Tatsumi's eyes blazed with emotion, making him inhumane as he released a deep breathe that made him shudder in delight. Finally another form of Evil purged, another corrupted soldier sent into hell and he had some so much more to fight against. Clenching his free hand, knuckles cracked loudly and violently as the rage of his actions in the past finally caught up with him once more. Inhaling to control himself, Tatsumi kicked the rest of the corpse to the ground before looking down at the severed horrified expression that 'Zank' held.

An irony his own head was the face of the many victims!

That were held in his memories.

"Let those who you killed, tear apart your soul in the afterlife and I'll see you again someday to do my job all over again."

His Saber sliced the fabric of the Teigu 'Spectator' holding around the head and flipping it up into his free hand to place it within his pocket.

Colonel 'Saber' lifted his foot while wiping his blade clean of the blood on its length.

As he sheathed the blade, his foot **crushed** the skull similar to a watermelon as the brain matter spread over the flat area like a gruesome paint show of fingers paintings. Along with bright pink pieces of actual brains littering the ground, this looked like a slaughter house from the very devil that owned hell itself. Putrid flesh stained the ground of the Imperial Capital, but for now those who were taken from the world unjustly held their retribution sated and he lowered his head to let the dead be at peace. His eyes opened as blood dripped down from his face, just another part of Evil purged it felt great to do it.

The thoughts coming down from his brief parting with vengeance, so slowly the young man walked away.

"_My first Teigu user killed, I wonder how many more will come now. They won't be as simple as this piece of shit, but its a start. A start for the Empire to have Hope, for a better tomorrow. I'll swear it again, as always."_

He turned on his heel, moving back towards the Capital City with bloody footsteps marking the path of his retribution against the war with Evil and corruption alike. Nothing was felt other than satisfaction, knowing that he was the sword for those wrongly killed, to be at peace knowing their killers were under the ground with them as well. Almost of all of them, as his eyes darkened as the voices of the damned followed behind in his foot steps. The blood of many, staining his presence and as the demented cries of the dead lunged forth into his body.

All for the Glory of the Empire...

And the moon was covered by darkness.

Shielding the horrors that not lay within the reality, but within the mind of a boy whose doubts began to surface.

As the clouds bathed the area in complete shadow once again.

**End Chapter Three**

**Author's Note: **I ask for Reviews, nothing more and I shall keep posting so please: state your thoughts about these chapters.

(To KeitaroHigurashi: Mistakes in a story can be made, never say its bad, since it only makes you improve. But _never_ be ashamed for of your own work, what can be said other than that your imagination is _nothing_ to be ashamed for. So I ask for those who read this story, please review his and offer clear criticism and honesty.)

I have seen so much hate for Tatsumi or rather, his naivety: but is it really him being naive to the world? Clearly he has seen it on both the spectrum of a Commander and more importantly, the common foot soldier that is give the orders to accomplish. I ask that you maintain that discipline if you have any, to just watch and see what Tatsumi could be. I want to point something out here: that Loyalty to the Empire doesn't mean its the best thing for a man to maintain. People have pointed out to me in PM's and the Reviews about (What the Empire is really, doing and how it is portrayed)

Or rather: what Tatsumo, himself will be portrayed as if you see the signs.

Keep the Criticism coming, explain your thoughts and views on what you see.

Be warned here people, this is where at this point if you don't have a strong stomach...

It's all I ask for you for my readers.


	5. Chapter IV

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Four**

Riding Noburu past the gates to the Imperial Capital wasn't as easy the first time, the young Colonel had to wait in a longer line due to the influx of merchants arriving at the massive city's doorsteps. Waiting while Noburu nickered 'impatiently' as he absently rubbed the animals neck, doing what he could in order to calm the horse down and felt her need to ride longer. Due to his prolonged stay in Night-Raid, she didn't get out often to ride around. So it made him a bit anxious to continue, since using the horse to ride at a long distance without maintaining a routine was dangerous. In fact he had to hold her in check, since to strain her too hard regardless of her breed and she'd suffer a pulled muscle. Which would ultimately sideline her for a month to heal and that got tedious to maintain, as he smiled to himself.

It had happened in the past, so he learned from those mistakes and did what he could in the mean time.

His last mission with Night-Raid had been met with a tinge of regret, everyone he had grown to get to used too would be gone.

This all meant they were to stay out of his life and it was a shame, he had started to like a few of them.

He took the Hundred-Man Slayers advice, Bulat on a physical training regimes and would use the man's style to improve his own physique in the weeks to follow. By using the methods back in the training grounds of Night-Raid's headquarters in order to further improve his usage of his own body. The results under the ex-soldier were nothing short of other than amazing, Tatsumi could respect the man, for at least assisting him when he asked during his time at the base. At times the man seemed a bit odd, as many of who were soldiers and what not: Bulat wasn't a bad person by any stretch.

Even though he used Incursio to get a free show of him changing, such as a cold chill went through his spine from such an image. Despite a questionable sexuality, at the expense of having a pinnacle of physical strength that the young officer wanted to strive for to match a Teigu user blow to blow. This would be worth it. If such a thing were needed for him to endure, for such a strange way: he'd do it without hesitation. Results were good to have and better, to experience firsthand in that regard.

That was the level he had to approach, he needed to get there to become a pillar for those to believe in 'Hope' and 'Justice' for the many that were tortured, murdered and raped ultimately. His heart burned for those he had witnessed within the capital being persecuted because of the Evil that ingrained itself within the heart of his beloved country. It just drove him onwards, trying to search for an end to this festering disease that ate away at his nation.

Corruption had to end!

One way or another in his eyes and Evil would cease, to exist if he found it.

Clenching his fist, his gloves were preventing his knuckles popping as he watched the line of merchants enter the Capital City with varying degrees of smiles and other, lesser intentions.

"Slavers."

His eyes shadowed at the sight of a ling of chained up slaves, with their limbs bound and having neck collars as brands of their masters were on the left side of their backs. A common sight after a war or a rebellion being put down, the survivors becoming nothing more than property. Tatsumi kept a stoic face, witnessing one of the Slaver-merchants whip a battered child from behind making the poor boy fall to his knees as no one of the other adult slaves wanted to get him up on his feet. So hopeless their expressions were as the women were even worse off, Tatsumi almost wanted to do something about this disgusting sight before him.

All but one thing kept him from ridding the country of such a perverted system.

It had been legal, to own slaves since the time before his birth.

"_Why such a barbaric law is passed I will never know, this has the Prime Ministers 'name' all over it and I pray to God that such a thing is disbanded."_

Decades of depriving humanity from a person, would cause even more anger to be settled.

Slavery never had any good coming from those who were people, treating other people like animals.

And it didn't settle well with him.

Slavery was legal, decreed by the Emperor himself as a means to fund the revenue system so that others could be bought and traded for massive amounts of gold. Children were used as bargaining chips in villages or families that could not afford the taxes of the Empire, so they sacrificed future generations to only try to live an everyday life and that got his blood boiling. There wasn't a damned thing he could do, this wasn't like purging Evil or the Corruption that lined the Empire heart. His Saber could not touch a legal system that made such things allowed for any citizen to own slaves and many were abused by their owners behind the scenes.

The young Imperial could feel the despair of those chained souls, he could see finger marks around many of the female slaves who kept them closer to their wagons more so than the men who were hollowed skeletons at this point and the children were the proverbial 'paydays' waiting to happen. Lives for money, money to be sought over the well-being of a person and all for what?

His jaw twitched once the pleasantries were exchanged with the guards who pocketed pouches of gold coins to avoid the inspections that were to be done to check for drugs or any illegal contraband.

"Really?"

Bribery in public?

Was he really that surprised, from what he had to cleanse with Night-Raid?

The Colonel just sat there rooted on his horse, as the guards pocketed several of the small pouches to let them pass through and the slaves were forced to move in a forced march to the many markets beyond the walls of the city. Both fingerless gloves were forced to hold onto the reins, as his teeth were gnashed together at the sight of such petty corruption that it disgusted him to see Imperial-Guards abuse the duties they were given and all for what? The answer just disgusted him, in all honesty. He knew the answer, but in the end it'd be best for him to assume otherwise.

An extra gold pouch at the end of the month to whore themselves out to the nearest prostitute in a back room?

Keeping his anger in check, he moved forward to one of the guards which were not familiar to his first visit, which was a blessing in disguise for Tatsumi to accept. It seemed the Corruption held its sway over those who were greedy enough to exploit anyone with money or to contribute to the decline of professional discipline that the Empire had produced for centuries as its means to become soldiers.

Flexing his wrists, he lost respect for the Imperial-Guard even more so and their existence had sunk to the level of miscreants in his eyes. It seemed that Captain Ogre's legacy had moved onward to his lower subordinates which made the gaze of an Army Officer make the two men pale in their armor. He took satisfaction in the way they were trembling under his piercing stare, he wasn't happy and they were the cause of it all.

Perhaps he would have to make an entire purge of Evil and corruption his utmost priority just to keep his sanity in tact after what he witnessed inside the Imperial Capital's walls. Inhaling deeply his Saber's handle held firm at his side, as he was greeted by the two grizzly looking men who wore the armor of the 'Guard' and they seemed to have lacked the means to keep it cleaned, as blotches dotted their chest pieces. A couple of choices came to mind, not a single one of them made him happy in the slightest.

Probably ale or blood.

Most likely from those they were interrogating.

"Halt! State your name and purpose, soldier."

The lack of respect, the casualness of brushing him off and the way the man was eying the more richer people behind him made Tatsumi smile pleasantly. He reached for his parcel while speaking in the most forced level tone of voice had he to use outside a formal briefing in the Army in a long time. Not even Night-Raid had caused him to be this infuriated at the lack of discipline and protocol to a visitor of the Imperial Capital, he felt really irritated now. Both of the miscreants didn't consider how close they were to death as they yawned bored at their posts, signally that a lack of quality professionals were missing from their own ranks.

"Colonel Tatsumi 'Saber' reporting to the Imperial Palace for assignment, I was here a week ago but got called out on a personal leave. My orders are right here." Resisting that moment to cut off this Guardsman's hand took all the restraint he had instilled on himself to stop acting rash, he needed to get away from these two disgusting pieces of shit and find a potent drink to ignore the urge to lash them onto the wall.

Breathing stiffly, the guard went through the lines of parchment bored and just handed the papers back to him unfolded. One subtle twitch of his eyebrow, at the lack of respect and professionalism was damned enraging as none the guards he had encountered were this disrespectful. At least they maintained an image of justice and fairness, which was a clear reminder of what he struggled to fight for now.

One of the men motioned to the ring on his finger, as his hair shadowed his eyes making a gleam appear in his compatriots voice.

"You know, Colonel having luxurious items requires a tax for more..."

"_This piece of shit, really has the audacity to ask for bribe from me to get inside the Capital which I got in with a presentable explanation a week ago. I don't know if I can handle this place, already this type of abuse of power and rank will make me god insane. I'm starting to debate whether working with Night-Raid was better for my health now than ever..."_

Tatsumi froze where he sat, his hands just barely being able to close the small parcel that contained his possessions which were meager things. Exhaling sharply, his gaze went to the beginning of the gates as he witnessed another guard patrolling the market, it was a woman or girl based on her figure. She seemingly had some sort of dog following her, her gaze was one of happiness as she held anyone who needed direction pointing them down the street or even guiding them to one of the main side streets involving trading vendors.

Beyond that not a single soul reminding him of the Imperial-Guard was there, which was disheartening.

But he got pulled back from his thoughts as he glared down at the two guardsmen who were grinning at the idea of getting a free 'pass' from him and were staring at his ring of penance with greedy expressions. So he asked them a simple question, his voice level and understandably curious enough to have them believe they had the upper hand to force him into paying. All of his will power was used to remain perfectly neutral as he spoke up. Neither of the two miscreants in front of him could see the rage behind his emerald eyes, burning their bodies into dusts in his minds eye anyways.

"A tax? What if I refuse to pay such a thing, I never knew charging visitors to the Capital required such."

The first man smirked, "Then it'd be a shame to how to write a report how on a _soldier_ was disrespectful to us during questioning your reason for coming here. It'd be a shame to have _someone_ say you were abandoning your post and returning after you were fearful of the punishment for such desertion. We could file a report and have yourself detained by us, on the grounds of suspicion alone. Colonel..."

"_Oh, that's it. I can handle some things but threatening me, for extortion and blackmail on false grounds? Am I hearing this right, is this stupid leech of a scumbag this serious? I'm well within rights to report him to his superior and get him imprisoned for quite some time. Hell I should probably kill him, where he stands for my troubles."_

Now anyone who could have overhead such a conversation immediately felt the murderous intent radiating off the youngster on horseback, the sheer pressure alone made everyone go wide eyed as the two guardsman's realized a very, very late observation about this soldier. His smile wasn't strained nor was it at all, forced and it certainly didn't look very kind at the moment.

Both of the crooked Imperial-Guards were suddenly forced to their knees as Tatsumi placed the reins down on his saddle.

Humming a soft tune to himself, the boy didn't give in to his anger as he looked at the citizens watching.

Casually dismounting Noburu as he idly patted the nervous animal's neck, he walked up to the much taller guard who flinched from the blazing eyes of one Colonel Tatsumi Saber who just stood there smiling. The second guard backed away from his compatriot clearly not willing to stick around as the murderous intent being projected from Tatsumi's body suffocated his instincts to flee before the monster before them. Every second felt like a weight was added upon them, forcing them to the ground nearly.

For a few minutes nothing happened, nothing at all until the young Imperial Officer asked a simple question, that nearly made both men piss themselves in public.

Just for a good reason as well, as those two emerald orbs dared them to run now...

"Guardsmen, isn't bribery and extortion illegal?"

He wasn't surprised once the first guard, the man who considered himself above the law remained tight lipped as Tatsumi kept his gaze locked onto him. His beret using his hair to partially conceal an eye as he looked like the devil itself, waiting for a simple answer to a simple question. The second man took a step back as sweat rushed down his face, forming droplets as his heart nearly exploded once the look of the Imperial-Saber moved onto his shaking form _daring him to flee _if he could. That stare put many of his own comrades to shame, not even the late Captain Ogre could freeze a man in his tracks from a simple stare but this _thing_ in front of him could do it.

His brain screamed at his numb body to flee, to get help or get away from the powerful creature masking itself as a soldier of the Legions.

But all both men could do, was what they had the power to do: to remain silent.

"You! The miscreant in the **back**. Fetch your superior up the street, with that dog of hers. If I see you try to flee past my sight: I will _hunt_ you down and make sure your corpse is displayed to the public for all to bear witness when a nameless scum-bag, tries to extort an Army officer and ask for bribes. Go, now!"

Words whispered so casually it made the first guard piss himself in fright, the fear that radiated off the man sent waves of disgust in the still form of the younger Imperial soldier. Without warning he turned to face the second man who saluted him shakily, sprinting away to the young Imperial-Guard girl who was coming back from escorting another merchant towards a sector of the city, which left the two males standing alone. One of the two, didn't wish to be there and it was obvious for the one who wanted to flee.

Tatsumi very easily clenched his fist, as his knuckles popped from the pressure hidden in plain sight but the still man heard it quite clearly.

Smirking at the guard, the Colonel asked a rather rhetorical question that caused a whimper to be heard, that made him realize something.

It was so utterly delightful for him to solve a problem, that Corruption had willingly challenged him in the open.

"Why do idiots think they can push around whoever they choose too, without suffering consequences?"

Idly tapping the base of his chin in a thoughtful gesture, he could only laugh good naturally at what he considered to be a funny joke and it made the smell of urine even more potent. Such a pitiful man who was one fucking decision too late to prod a sleeping Danger-Beast that normally wouldn't wake up but the fool had a persistence to try to take it on. Cracking his wrist, the wait for the third Guardsman on patrol, or woman in this case was on her way back to their spot. He had more than a few choice of words, if this superior of theirs was just as pathetic.

And during this wait, a longer line of people formed behind his back watching the spectacle.

"Lieutenant Seryu Ubiquitous, reporting sir!"

Tatsumi looked over to give a diligent stare at the newcomer, her subordinate behind her bat quivering at his icy gaze when returned to the youthful girl who was standing at attention. Normally he would scold all of these people, but it seemed that the youngest amongst the guard was actually doing her job and rather proud it based on her eyes. Completely total opposites from the men behind her, it was practically an irony that ran through him.

This girl had more balls to face him without flinching and to do her job better, go figure.

Her eyes were shining with determination, to do her job right, to help the Empires citizens and she was more naive that he was when first in command of a squad on in the Western Territories a few years back. Turning his attention back to the present, the Imperial-Guard Lieutenant had a salute in place for him to acknowledge her intentions and that made some relief swell inside his heart.

At least she acted accordingly in the public eye, as he gave a firm salute back before stating firmly.

"Be at ease Lieutenant, I have a _problem_ that involves these two compatriots of yours that were trying to extort a few extra gold coins from my person. They claimed there was a tax to enter the Capital and wanted extra _bribes _once they saw my ring, which was a gift from a dead friend_._ I hope you see my dilemma here_._"

The woman looked at the two paling adults who wished they could have disappeared. Technically he didn't lie about the last part, he considered Aria a friend for a short while before damning her into hell's grasp. A one way express through his Saber as that night made him get put into a sour mood for a split second. He needed something to distract those memories at this moment. In the next few seconds he witnessed, provided that distraction for him to enjoy.

"Are you two serious! You can't do that, that's thirty five _serrated_ lashings and a reduce of rank plus pay and you have to clean the bathrooms around the Capital for three months! You can't take bribes, but personal donations that can be used to assist the Citizens of the city, the old Captain knew this and you are just being stupid, big, clunk heads who are fucking retarded cunt..."

Tatsumi resisted the urge to laugh loudly now, forget his rage this was quality entertainment for him to sit back and view.

And they got grilled quickly as the young girl bent forward scolding them in the most childish yet truthful manner that made the Imperial Colonel smirk. It was such a nice thing for her to say to them. Honestly, he couldn't be more happier to see some sense of punishment being inflicted on such blatant miscreants who could get away with this petty corruption. All in all, a fine day to enjoy at his leisure to smile at.

So taking a moment to ignore the screams and obscenities that would make most people blush from the swears, curses and what not he looked down to see something moving around. Trying to understand what he was seeing, the thing turned out to be alive and it actually moved right towards him. Tatsumi almost flinched when whatever came up to the base of his feet, its head cocked to the side in interest. Until it acted upon an impulse make him nearly laugh out loud in shock.

It _nudged_ his leg!

Making the Colonel look puzzled as to what he saw next to him and the actual word put to it.

For a moment, it took the young Imperial to realize that this was a dog of sorts.

The creature's ears twitched when his body shifted downward to get a closer inspection, for a moment its eyes trailed onto him as if studying his very being.

Very odd, this creature.

Crouching down, the small puppy or whatever it seemed to be stared at him nudging its head against his leg. Smiling to himself, he trailed a finger behind the animal's ear as it rubbed against him enjoying the gentle touches he had learned from Sheele of all people, the intent to comfort something or have less than negative intentions was something he'd learn to use. No need to scare everyone away, as he felt the little animal rub its nose against his arm as he scratched the back of its ears and for a few minutes Tatsumi just grinned at the little animal.

"_He doesn't seem too bad, a bit odd but most breeds of Danger-Beasts look like demons more so than animals. Why is the texture of this little creature's skin off, I don't feel any warmth from blood flowing or he'd have a slower heart rate. Interesting thing, I might have to study up more on the different animals that the Imperial Military uses for their own uses..." _

Too deep in thought, he almost did catch the sound of the Lieutenant bring him back from his observations. He felt somewhat embarrassed as a result! Getting back onto his two feet, the little dog like creature rubbed its head against his leg which its owner looked on in amazement to see a strong reaction come from her companion.

"I apologize Lieutenant Ubiquitous, it seems your little friend here distracted me from paying attention to your voice. You have my full attention now, if you were saying something. Again I do apologize, since it wasn't my intention."

Smiling a bit bashful he kept his smile very straightforward as the girl shook her head shifting her stance into a proud one, that respected his rank as her eyes glanced at his shoulder.

The younger girl took her time to get her voice set into a respect tone, as she kept her gaze onto him and didn't waver when she took responsibility for her compatriots lack of moral decisions under her gaze.

"No, I'll have to apologize for my subordinates actions Colonel. With respect sir, I shall guide you to wherever destination you need to go and I shall discipline them when I return to the Imperial-Guard Barracks in the sector I'm in. I ask for your forgiveness for their _shameful_ displays."

At her words the two men were openly trembling as her smile washed over them, if Tatsumi had made them piss themselves was one thing but Seryu's gaze flickered to the little god creature as it looked to them before making a growling sound to make them collapse onto her backs. Both men were terrified beyond measure now, as it made the young Imperial Colonel give a brief mental applause of respect to the younger girl standing in front of him.

"_She either must kick their asses or her punishments are so harsh, it makes them cry. I thought I was going to be cruel, ripping their tongues out would have been satisfaction to my ears. Oh well, I'll leave the Imperial-Guard to discipline their own, I technically can't authorize that without being a General. Sucks, for them and for me..."_

Tatsumi decided to play the devil's advocate to leave their fates to this Lieutenant Seryu Ubiquitous, she seemed to do her job competently and he didn't want to create anymore of a scene than necessary. He had to reach the Imperial Palace at some point now, find the fact he couldn't destroy the corruption in public eyes as such as it seemed so tempting.

Instead he nodded professionally to allow the girl to follow through with her declaration, it'd be nice to talk to someone to avoid the more _shadier_ folks inside the Capital that were giving him the worst vibes on the year yet. As many people where staring at him in open fear due to his status as an Officer of the Imperial Army more so than the actual rank, a necessity used to keep the corruption at bay and the Evil hiding from his sight.

Sighing to himself, he spoke up a bit understanding of the young Lieutenants plight.

"That is acceptable, I'll leave my faith in you to punish them accordingly. I do need help to reach the Imperial Palace since I've always had a hard time finding the right roads there, if you can assist me it'd be a kind thing for you to do."

Smiling naturally, the girl beamed positively ecstatic to escort him to the Imperial Palace, her recent orders were hinting at her to report to the palace in the future if her commanders mentions held true to the rumors. She turned to the two _evil_ doers smiling so innocently the guards scampered back against the granite walls fearing for their lives, as her little companion was in between her legs leaning forward at them as if smelling something. The look in her eyes promised some sort of justice in their futures for shaming the guard in the public eye.

Oh they would learn not to commit evil acts and undermined her position as an Imperial-Guard officer that guarded those under the Empire's gaze. In time her punishments would come out and for the record, it'd be the last thing they would ever do in her presence again. If there was one thing she had learned in her time, it was thus...

Justice never rested or gave mercy, in the pursuit of Evil.

She spoke very kindly to them, almost a sweet reassurance that could make a man quiver in his boots.

"I'll be back later so do your right jobs right and after our shift is done: I'll find someway to make sure you never try to harass an Army Officer again. Okay? Bye!"

Tatsumi could only shake his head at the threats she issued to them, guiding Noburu with the young Imperial-Guard Lieutenant on his side, it seemed that things were looking up for the few good things he could hope to see within the Capital. Finding those to fight for a new tomorrow would be just delightful, he had to find some help and try what he could to find those who would listen to his ideals about Change to the Empire itself. It seemed that a potential piece was given to him, this girl was quite the picture of 'Just' and 'Fair' if he had to comment about her appearance alone.

Moving at a relaxed pace, the mood of the crowds shifted into a lesser caution as space was made for them within the densely packed streets with the sun overhead.

The day seemed fine to be honest, as Tatsumi looked around to see the Slavers on another street selling their 'products' and it he ignored the tears on the children of all things. Why did Slavery have to be legal of all the things to degrade a fellow person, a human was to have them as nothing more than animals and become actual property, sure it was possible for a slave to earn his or her freedom, at the expense of working yourself dead.

It was rare to find arguments that foreign enemies deserved to be slaves for clashing against the Empire, but it was accepted to see rebels become slaves without a thought.

That type of mentality really made Tatsumi bite the inside part of his cheek, what was the point in protecting the Empires own citizens...

Only to have them to become Slaves if they had to rise up against the oppressive taxes and abuse of the ones in power? Enemy combatants beyond the Empire's borders could become slaves, least it made sense due to the foreign status yet eventually they'd be released in ransom swaps within War. This was what he was told in theory, as an Officer in the Western Territories and he had completely ignored it while securing the entire area he was stationed in.

His gaze became sorrowful, why did fellow country-men have to fall into Slavery?

As it could have avoided with more creative ways to support the Empires need for gold coin.

It just seemed so redundant to lose the faith of a potential soldier, worker and subject for the Emperor himself.

"You're extremely quiet Colonel, are you alright?"

Seryu's asked innocently enough, with her little dog like creature on her shoulder as it looked at him as well. Sweeping over them, a smile appeared on Tatsumi's face and he did what he could to brush it off, since he to be mindful of the present now. Adjusting his parcel over his shoulder, the young Imperial merely deflected the question into asking about her mainly, he needed something to get his mind off the other matters.

"I'm just thinking, Lieutenant Ubiquitous or may I call you Seryu, if you don't feel offended?"

The courteous question only made the girl beam at him, happily for someone to call her by her first name and it only made the younger army officer smile kindhearted at his new companion.

"It's no problem Colonel. I'm Seryu and it is nice to meet you too..."

She trailed off blushing as he hadn't introduced his own name to her, as he chuckled at his own misfortune.

Lowering his head in a friendly manner, he made the girl only smile at the respectful display he made to her, which was rare to find in most people nowadays in the Empire. Serya personally hadn't talked to anyone over a Captain rank outside of a formal setting and he seemed very kind enough to pass time as she escorted him towards the Palace in the distance.

"Just call me Tatsumi, at least in an informal setting Seryu. I'm just thinking about the Capital City really, I've had some experiences over time and I can only see where I can go from here."

Turning this into a more casual conversation, this was akin to the experiences he had in Night-Raid when talking with people and trying to understand their own motives. Trying to talk outside of formalities wasn't hard per say, it was just taking the time to get used it as best as he could have in any sort of environment. The young pair of Officers were eventually moving across the crowded streets taking their time to take in the sights, despite the other having been there longer living inside the massive city walls.

"So, what brings you here to the Capital Tatsumi?"

Seryu initiated a question with her face, the picture of innocent curiosity.

He didn't take long to answer, as he started to explain his orders and what not. He figured it wouldn't hurt in trying to give out general information again to a stranger but the girl hadn't warranted his aggression or disgust in the time had met up with her. So giving the benefit of the doubt, the young Imperial Colonel answered very kindly as possible and it wasn't forced in by any means. Finding the really easy going person to talk too within this city seemed rare, so it'd be best to use what he could in order to feel at ease with staying here beyond the month to come.

"Originally I was in charge of a Legion in the Western Territories of the Empire, my mission out there to maintain the peace and suppress rebellions springing up. I'd been out on the frontier for about a year now, so coming back here is just strange and rather awkward to be honest. Ever not talk to someone you considered a close friend for a long time and try to do it with someone you just met?"

He half asked the younger girl who had a thoughtful look, as if trying to place herself in such a situation. Tatsumi found the expression adorable if he was too honest with himself, it made this girl look like a picture of what a kind person of the Imperial-Guard should have been. Her eyes didn't have any sort of malice to the citizens walking around them, as Noburu gave a 'nicker' of disappointment at the slow place. Idly his hands went to his long time horse to calm her down, enough to reassure her.

"Sounds hard, but you were in charge of suppressing rebels? Can you tell me how many you managed to stop and what was your legions name? Have I heard of it before? It must be exciting to lead that many people into a battle against Evil! Are you happy?"

"_Holy hell!"_

One question after another question poured from her and those eyes were shining brightly in admiration as he could only laugh at that. These weren't so annoying but merely her own interest to go beyond her career as a Guard, he saw the eyes of an eager young woman wanting to fight for the better state of the Empire. He could respect that, if that was her intentions as the duo kept on moving out of the market square now. They still had a long distance to cover as he began to explain his experiences to the younger woman, who was now eagerly awaiting for him to give her answers and it was quite humbling.

Few people really wanted to _listen_ to his tales, but in the end he had no reason to say no.

Except her innocent eyes, pleading for him to hurry up and it just made him feel like a total asshole to the guard officer.

Scratching his head for a moment, he cleared his throat to might as well start with the basics of his time out in the Western Territories.

"About a year ago I had been promoted to Colonel for my time amongst the Army itself, I've been in for nearly over half a decade now and it's had the moments that we all hear about. Glory for the Empire is something I've experienced but its a gritty life, Seryu in case you are wondering about how people go through with it. I started young, so its more of me trying to adjust to the lack of time in the field now."

Quickly pausing a moment, he maneuvered Noburu out of the way of a train of wagons that had fruits and produce stacked up to make it sturdy. Apart of him wanted to swipe an apple to see how would the young Imperial-Guard would react just for amusements sake but he didn't want to make a bad impression for her. No need to become a hypercritical scum bag like those guards earlier.

So he did the right thing, continued talking about his life so far.

Though she asked something mainly about the Military, stepping in line with her as he waited patiently to respond too.

"I've heard the Army makes you stronger than most time in the Imperial-Guard, I was curious since my Father was a career-long guardsman and I wondered if that would make his memory tarnished if I joined up with an Army against the Rebels in the south."

Apart of him didn't even remotely agree with the girls self-doubts, every able body subject of the Empire needed to join the might of the Military in order to secure the lands for peace and security. She certainly had the drive to become a leader, so that alone would make her a candidate for a General to take her under his or her wing, to groom them to prepare for the mantle of leadership.

He knew first hand to start near the bottom of the barrel in the armed forces, it wasn't easy and nor was it simple to rise in rank without slaughtering waves of enemies to be noticed. This presented a problem for him, at least in the past: he was a Colonel, not a General and had to have one subordinate to take over a Legion of over ten-thousand soldiers which was quite the responsibility. Eventually he'd have to check in with the Imperial-Sabers to see where they stood without him at the helm.

Preferably in a state when he left, the entire Legion was as always: strong and honorable...

"The difference between Guard and Soldier is that akin to a 'wolf versus a dog', Seryu."

The girl looked to him as he stared ahead the various buildings leading up to the Imperial Palace, as it was just looming in the background like a monstrous fortress and for it was worth, it was the Pillar of the Empire's Military forces and it was where the Emperor himself ruled over his country. Despite the negative and bad events in his time leading up to this point, Tatsumi allowed a small content smile to form on his face to see the very ideal he wanted to strive for. Something that would give everything to those under the Emperor's gaze, to be feel safe about their nation.

An Empire where Hope and Justice reigned, to see the Emperor grow into a powerful man who knew the ideals of a moral man who could make all benefit under the rein of his rule.

This dream caused him to bow his head as he passed by a Statue of an ancient imperial hero from several centuries back.

"Between wolves, dogs and so forth. Both of them have fangs, both have their claws and both are intelligent. However only one will always prevail over the other due to the very nature of their surroundings..."

He referred to his analogy to the girl who tilted her head a bit confused, as her dog companion did the same thing.

It made him think it was an adorable sight, really it made him swell with a happiness at such a cute display.

"It is the wolf that will always win, as the Army is always on the move and as a wolf who prowls the lands for prey, we the Army do the same and gain experience much more quickly than a pampered dog. The difference between a Soldier and a Guard, is that one is always fighting to improve his strength and to break beyond what he can achieve in his limits. While this may not occur every time, the Army is a place where you'll continually expand your experiences to become stronger and eventually find a purpose to attain a level of skill that will make you an idol amongst your peers..."

Tatsumi gently pulled the girl to his side as she yelped when a wagon nearly crushed her if she had continued to listen to him. Always more attentive for his surrounding when he was being trained by Bulat, the young Imperial Colonel looked to the skies to see the sun shining brightly. Its warmth caused him to be at a peace that the young girl could feel from her close proximity.

This was as straightforward to seeing who inspired other as it would be.

Seryu merely a foot away from his touch, his presence enveloped her in a shield of confidence.

It couldn't be explained, a mysterious quality about him drew her in, the way he spoke passionately, the way he smiled at her and how he explained a subject that took effort to excel in, to be gentle about its rewards. Her heart raced as Tatsumi smiled at her, continuing his answer to her while being a perfect picture of 'fairness' as a small breeze brushed her face. Only focusing on two emerald eyes, that were glowing with warmth and kindness.

"Do not worry about your father's memory, even in death you can achieve anything including, the respect and admiration of those who followed you. In my eyes it is when you are alive and when you find a purpose to achieve a goal beyond your reach, that moment when you realized that dream can change the world. I know in my heart that I can change the world Seryu, for that is my dream and I will have faith in these two ideals that drive me."

Stopping at a cross roads, to see a crowd of people making their ways around. They could see smiles, happier folk away from the slums and see the light of day, as everyone mingled with each other. Citizens happy, secure, hopeful and their eyes shined brighter than any star, that is what Tatsumi could see if his dream were to become a reality. But Seryu was more focused on Tatsumi's words, she wanted to hear _more_ of what he believed in. To see what gave him that feeling confidence, these same things were causing her own body to react in a way not known to her.

It made her heart swell with an emotion that drove her weak in the knees.

"What do you believe in?"

She asked this question softly, as her little canine companion stared at him as well.

For a few minutes he was silent. When he lifted his head up, those green eyes warm and kind, combined with that smile it made Seryu Ubiquitous gasp in shock. This young man made her blood rush in ways faster than any destruction of Evil doers she swore to fight again. Every word held firm, every moment made a tear seemingly form as he explained.

He lifted her hand, staring at it with a vacant expression for a split second before telling her what he believed in. Every word made her heart beat, faster as her hand gripped his unintentionally as neither of them knew of Tatsumi's 'Saber's most dangerous weapons. A weapon even he knew not to use at times, but it when it was identified few could understand how.

His very own heart...

Along with the words, that formed his beliefs.

"I believe that there is Hope for Justice in the Empire, for it to see a better tomorrow. Where Evil is purged, corruption is destroyed and all citizens, equally thrive under the light that the Empire brings to the world. And for that, I serve the Emperor as a soldier to see my country live on, to have faith in hope."

He felt a strong grip on his limb, looking over he saw Seryu literally quivering as her hands clasped his own in hers.

Unable to see her gaze, the young Imperial carefully tilted her chin up at him since he was concerned if he had offended her in any way.

"_Oh god, did I say something to get her upset? I wasn't trying too, son of a bitch man you really know how to cause pain. This is what I get for trying to show people what I think the Empire should become into. You're an idiot..."_

Sniffling caught his attention to break him out of his thoughts, as he hurriedly tried to give an apology to her for making the young officer cry. He didn't want whether to ask for her forgiveness or find a way to make her happy again, buying her food or even a drink her troubles.

"Please, did I say anything to hurt you or make you feel sad..."

One finger stopped him on his lips, giving him a strong sense of Deja-vu with Sheele and it was almost scary.

Hell, it was scary.

Blinking in surprise, the young orange haired girl did what she could to wipe away the tears with her one hand, until Tatsumi got the rest near her lips. Awaiting her verbal response, Seryu's eyes were watering because she believed in the _similar _ideals just not as, passionately as he did. She could see why, this young man was almost a General and it made her want to become, a Soldier now more than ever as the doubts that clouded her intentions in her early life were gone now. She felt confident, happier and more driven to fight against Evil, as Tatsumi's face was the ideal 'fairness' to those giving to the good in life.

"I'm not sad, I believe in 'Justice' as well Tatsumi, I believe in that so much that I would kill all evil-doers in order to avenge my father who died to such _things_ when I was little. I want to get stronger, I want to be like my father but now I wanted to become force to be reckoned with. I'll join the Army, with Koro here as my teigu and we'll fight for Justice across the Empire, for it must prevail against the Evil that is around us."

Her declaration would have made him smile, other than the fact she just admitted to having an actual Teigu on her person and that got more uneasy that anything. He had killed the wielder of 'Spectator' in this very city not even one night ago and she just happened to have one to be an Imperial-Guard that was supposed to be fighting against the murderers like Zank as her profession. Made him whether to wonder where her patrol was at, for such a murderer to have free reign but he pushed aside those questions for something more simpler.

It made him happy in the sense that the capital was so massive people like her, couldn't be everywhere to stop the atrocities that were a daily occurrence for all citizens of the Empire.

So rubbing the back of his head in nervousness, he tried to think of a more positive note: he could make really beautiful women cry over him...

One glance at her and that idea deflated, quickly.

"_No, that's just me being an asshole. Still, I hope she can make it in the Army if she joins and it wouldn't hurt to ask about her Teigu either. I'm going to be here for some time and noting all the users within the capital alone would help Night-Raid a bit. As long they don't encounter one another, I think I can make this work fine."_

By clearing his throat to get his companions attention since several pairs of eyes were looking at the commotion the two Imperial Officers were in, it looked rather 'tragic' or 'romantic' to see how some had their hearts in their eyes. Admitting that to be a bit strange, the higher ranked of the two saw their path clear up. So shaking himself to ride the uneasy emotions that were springing up, Tatsumi waited for Seryu to wipe her face of tears which didn't take too long.

He offered her his hand to help her move with him, as the street cleared.

"I guess we having something in common then, Seryu."

He smiled joking, as the girl shrugged a bit bashful now since she was literally just crying over his words, "Is it alright if I can ask what type of Teigu you have? I wasn't aware you had one until now I'm still lacking one myself, I'm afraid."

Leaning down to pet the strange looking dog again, the little creature rubbed against his outstretched palm, as Seryu crouched to his level her expression full of confusion and admiration.

"This is Koro or if you want the really long boring name of his which is: Hekatonkheires. He's been with me for some time now. He's been a very good friend to me to defeat the Evil and to protect that Justice in the Capital."

The little teigu construct enjoyed the attention the two Imperials were giving it as it rubbed itself rigorously against Tatsumi of all people.

He couldn't help but rub the base of dogs ears to make it enjoy the sensations, which even his new found companion had to comment about that.

"Koro likes you. That's just odd, he never likes people picking him up and petting him. You sure you don't have a Teigu Tatsumi, I might be a bit jealous if he ignores me."

The Colonel snorted before placing the little dog like Teigu into its masters arms, he had no qualms in saying he didn't have one on his person at that very moment. Technically he could have gotten Spectator but he didn't risk the deal he had with the Night-Raid Assassins, he did his job and they would help him in the long run. Not to mention he had to solidify his time amongst the Imperial Palace, people he knew were inside there and few of them, could help him if they so wished.

"I feel sorry for his name, but Koro works fine and again, no I don't have a Teigu. My strength is my own, although I'd like to have one to just be able to get on a level to fight anyone in theory. Still, you earn your strength, work hard and eventually it all works out. So, shall we continue to the Palace? I'm still kind of lost here."

Raising the young girl onto her feet, she could only snuggle against the dog Koro as it started dumbly at his own smile and once again, it was adorable.

Hell it had been a long time since he could say an animal was adorable, cute or even remotely positive save for Noburu. He treated her with a cared tough that few would ever know, he took care of her and she did her job to the best, to get him into places faster than any horse in her line. This girl seemed so happy to be around him and for what it was worth, he couldn't help but feel confident that such potential was still around.

Some of these thoughts about riding Noburu to reach the Palace faster made him wish to take up that urge, which wasn't half bad to be fair.

"We should be there by nightfall on foot since its still a long way. At least if we continue walking there, what did you have in mind Tatsumi?"

Seryu asked quite curiously tilting her head, which Koro _mirrored_ the action flawlessly making the higher ranked officer snicker: the two of them were reminding him of children.

And that just lifted his spirits.

So laughter escaped his lips, his lungs were hurting in a good way and it just made his day to find some sort of goodness left in the Capital for those to help one another.

Ultimately five minutes of failing to calm down, he moved up onto Noburu who shifted to move as he kept her steady by rubbing the bottom half of her neck. Easing her movements, Tatsumi offered a better method to reach the Imperial Palace and it'd be a nice ride to have company. Honestly, it had been quite a long time since someone other than himself, to be on his steed.

Noburu rarely allowed two riders even though she could handle the weight easily.

Leaning over he offered his hand to the girl whose face turned a bright red, he smiled to reassure her that he wasn't trying to get her into trouble or even hurt.

It just seemed quicker to guide him while on horseback.

"Take my hand, we can reach the Palace in half the time and if you a need horse back, I can ask one of the guards there under my authority to loan one."

The offer was fair, he wasn't trying to get her in trouble and the sooner he got there, the quicker he dealt with the _Minister_ and the rest of the rabble surrounding the Emperor himself. Inhaling sharply, he knew in his mind that confrontation was going to be irritating enough to get him angry and he wouldn't be able to vent any frustrations until later on during his time here.

One step at a time, just simple steps he had to take and it'd end when it ran its course.

But he waited for his new companion to respond to his offer.

Seryu seemed uneasy, at least not in sense of being able to accept the offer on hand.

"I'm kind of afraid of riding horses, Tatsumi since I got thrown off one some time ago. I'd be a hindrance to you riding..."

She trailed off red faced, her embarrassment evident as Tatsumi sighed a bit bemused.

So casually making his steed move closer, he scooped up the orange haired girl who '_yelped_' indignantly, she shouldn't have been that worried as he placed her behind himself. Her frame trembled as her own fears of riding horses came to her mind, the young Colonel spoke reassuringly to her as he moved Noburu into a slow gallop down the street.

"Relax. Just keep a firm grip on me and you won't fall, you can trust me. I still need a guide to the Palace and it's be easier to talk anyways, so take your time to adjust to this, okay?"

The girls hands trembled but he felt her forehead against the upper part of his back, her face against the sheathed short-sword he had since leaving his childhood village years ago. This casual warmth coursed into him, as he looked back to see her clutching him for dear life, he assumed of her: bad experiences with horses and didn't take too hard on her as he kept Noburu at a steady run towards the Palace. The girl's grip came around his waist, he ignored it mainly due to the fact he chalked it up as her fear on horseback.

He never witnessed the sight of a girl who had found someone to believe in.

Every so often the wind rushed by their ears but for the moment, the day held true and clear as Colonel Tatsumi 'Saber' got closer to the Imperial Palace where the next stage in his journey was coming. The next stage in another long line of battles of another sort, it made him anxious and clearly uneasy to see that the heart of the Empire was its greatest source of corruption.

And all he could think about: was dreading the conversation with the Prime Minister himself.

"_This is going to be a long day."_

* * *

><p>Contrary to the belief, the Colonel was wrong about the assumptions he'd be meeting the Emperor.<p>

Tatsumi stood in front of the window, of his private quarters that had been given to him once he checked with the guards in front of the Imperial Palace's gates, they verified his creditability and before long, he was allowed passage through the gates to be placed in a room. The Prime Minister and the Emperor had too much on their routine schedules to meet him directly and would only do so, on the day he had to report to them directly. It was expected if he were early, he had some spare time to leave to his devices and to did make do on assisting Seryu and her teigu Koro, to get back to the main part of the Capital to return to her post.

He wrote a missive notation, stating his rank and name to her superiors if they tried to punish her for dereliction of her duty or post.

Basically it was a 'get out of the trouble' card, for a one time use for today and she thanked him for it. Seryu refused to use a horse, a bit pale from her time on Noburu who was in the Imperial Stables with the other steeds of officials housed in the Palace. He wished her off and hoped to see her again, she'd agree to find him to talk to him in the future which left him on a positive note.

Most of the day looked up, he could only sigh in relief as nothing pushed him into a corner or even remotely got him annoyed, it was one of these rare days.

Shifting out of his overcoat, the young Colonel opened his parcel to reveal the Book of Teigu's that Najenda gave him and along with an old wooden idol that he had kept since leaving his village.

Placing both on a desk that was near the window overlooking the Imperial City, Tatsumi sighed to himself as he yawned from the stress that his body built up on.

Sitting in a comfortable chair, whose texture made his back lean into it comfortably.

Not to mention that it had a firm grip on each sides, perfect for his needs.

So he began to read over the information provided from Night-Raid, whether as a gift or not.

"Hekatonkheires. So that's you Koro, an artificially made construct capable of regenerating wounds ranging from slashes, to burned flesh or ranged fire. Man, Seryu has a decent weapon to be used and it only gets more efficient when the Teigu and user bond together. This book makes these weapons sentient to a degree..."

He read this to himself, placing his beret on the corner of the oak polished surface as the lighting from the candles reflected the quality. Reaching over into his parcel again, he fished out a small book of sorts and began to write down notes on keep Teigu that interested him. He ignored the secondary book that was his journal, still unopened after becoming a Colonel for the Empire. Ever since entering the Legion, that was his own and he had never written in it due to the fear of being used against him more so. A journal that held his inner-most thoughts, fears and memories that he refused to consider in the present and the nightmares that followed them.

Ignoring those thoughts while getting comfortable, Tatsumi could only study the various notations that were listed and some of them were just downright so powerful, he couldn't imagine how a person would feel at the end of their ropes. It just amazed him at the sheer amounts of Teigu there could have been and many were no longer there as well.

One of these Teigu had the ability to use Telekinesis or gravity-mental techniques to crush whatever was within their gaze and what not. According to the book, it'd been destroyed in the first great wars of the Empire and that made him feel just disappointment. Some of these things were amazing and he'd have to get his hands on one, preferably one no one knew about.

Slowly flipping through the pages, the eyes of a tired young man witnessed armored Teigu's diagrams, with vague descriptions and he occasionally spotted swords that could do all sorts of ungodly things. Rarely more so than others, firearms, spears and so many other things that just were there to be used for those to wield them.

But so many of them were crossed out, as if being marked destroyed or lost forever.

It was sad: so much of the legacy of the Founding Emperor cut into his heart and he could only imagine what the man would see of his beloved country now!

Rotting into a state of festering corruption.

Feeling the weight of what he wanted to come true, Tatsumi began to recite the 'Imperial-Sabers' own battle prayers when they experience confusion or even, unfaithful thoughts to the Empire. It was to instill the 'Faith' and the 'Hope' that the Empire would provide to them, once they marched for the Glory that awaited them at the end of their lives. He took as a sign that he needed to prepare himself for the coming days, as he had no idea as to why he was here at all and it started to weight on his mind heavily.

"_We march in your name; to stand ready as flesh and steel; to await your word and guidance as our Emperor who commands us as his will be done. By your word alone we stand; ready as your will be done; for our Emperor, your commands are our life and we ask only to be remembered in death. For we are the 'Imperial-Sabers' and we are who seek Glory, in your name..._"

The founding commander of the Legion he given, knew that his mandate wasn't easy to maintain. On that day, Tatsumi was given orders to use just ten-thousand to quell the tens of thousands within the conquered Western Territories. This applied to citizens and foreign people mixed as the need to fight the injustice inflicted upon them. Local policies became tax burdened lands where children were sold into slavery, men were beaten or killed for framed crimes as women were raped left like toys and children mere pawns in the hands of Evil itself. This had to stop by any means he could try too.

Tatsumi remembered those early days, of flame and smoke as his eyes were filled with the eyes of thousands dead. He wanted to end this atrocity called a 'War', but where it was just rebellions being slaughtered to the last member. Soldiers knew War, they knew when two conflicting powers erupted it was a glorious end they met on steel and they knew, their opponents were their equals in combat as they fought on distant fields beyond the eyes of the many...

That got as close to glory within a war, as the death toll would rise and fall as many before it.

War didn't have their own country-men treated like animals, that wasn't war: it was genocide on an Imperial Decree to spread the fear that tyranny existed within the confines of corruption and of how Evil itself, spreading like a plague into the very heart of the Empire. Tatsumi recited the motto of his Imperial-Sabers, the ones who imagined themselves into his belief of the what the Empire once stood for centuries ago when it was formed, his eyes burned with visions as the icon of the Empire's Logo was seared onto the very weapons they carried.

He could remember the equipment as every man was covered with the finest Steel the Empire would provide for them, as they payed for it every day and every night while fighting themselves on the insides.

Each Legionnaire of the Imperial-Sabers, held pristine silver armor as every part of their body was covered to provide maximum protection and strength to change enemy lines. All the shields would make a line to protect from bullets, arrows and the occasional body flung at them from walls, as spears long as a man were the primary weaponry. The cloaks purple with white trimmed edges that would hang from the shoulders to flap in the wind, when they marched or they had to charge into an enemy line. Along with helmets that concealed majority of their faces, having two vertical silver wing like ear pieces that stemmed from the side of the helmets, that angled backwards to stand for their Hope and Justice to endure in a fight.

No Imperial-Saber, would be not recognized for their strength to stand with his own brothers.

And sisters, as he recalled of those who where female in his Legion as well.

But their iconic Sabers, were the last defense they held and the finest weapon any soldier of that Legion could wield in direct combat. Each handle had the seal of the Emperor burned onto every mans gaze, the symbols that long defined the soldiers of Old and Beyond. These past Heroes would be their idols, their virtues apart of their mandate to protect an Empire from the very things that threatened to snuff the last pockets of two long lost ideals.

Hope.

Justice.

For too long had 'Hope' and 'Justice' been trampled over, to be scoffed as nothing more than a dream!

Words were spoken, as the absolutist faith shielded his heart from the faces of Evil as it wormed to destroy him and his men form within. They were loyal to the Empire and to the Emperor himself, no Prime Minister or bureaucratic lard would command them, they would only obey the Emperor and it didn't matter if it was Makoto, the child-Emperor had ten thousand soldiers on his words alone to do whatever they were to tasked to do.

One Legion could hold the tide against the Evil that would eventually try to kill the Emperor who should have ruled his Empire, not a sick twisted fat lard of a Minister who poisoned the previous Emperors own drinks...

Or so the whispers of those who survived the succession wars spoke of, a very troubling thought.

But Tatsumi and his Legion, only they asked for nothing but to be remembered in death, for the Glory to be earned in his name.

"_Soldiers we are: we the Imperial-Sabers do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, so we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor."_

His mental chants echoed in his ears, Tatsumi would face down the face of evil itself within this very Palace, the heart of the Empire that he loved and when it reared its ugly head at him. When so many would voice out the need to purge it, so many to cry out in anger and retribution would he strike that chaotic center of where everything originated. He wouldn't fail, he promised his friends, his men and the failure of such a dream to release the Child-Emperor from his chains of stunted blindness would make the Empire a true power again.

Because as a soldier, it was his duty to protect his country. So when Evil would come before him, his Saber would be ready. To silence it, to do what he could in order to prevent the chaos coming to destroy the country that was the center pillar of the world today, he looked up towards the half covered moon ready to declare war against the corruption under its gaze.

"In the face of Evil, we do not back down, ever..."

Tatsumi yawned as he tried shut his eyes for a moment, only to get interrupted.

Someone 'pounded' on his door, which made him scoff out annoyed.

"_Who in the fuck is up at this time of the night? If this a guard doing a security, check I'll try not to insult him. Hell, I better answer the damned door or I'll end up in front of a firing squad for refusing the protocols in the Palace. What a night, already."  
><em>

Pulling his overcoat on, the young Imperial Colonel moved to the door way before opening the solid black colored door. He expected one of the guards, but nothing came close to that sense. By opening the door, it revealed an old man with a black tailored uniform, similar to his own. Tatsumi resisted the urge to scowl if he thought this was who this person served and he was going to be agitated immediately. As much as the vibe matched the originator such feelings in the Empire present day.

This man screamed 'danger' to most others but to him, this was not the case.

Predictably Tatsumi allowed these feelings to became a dull compliance to hear whoever the hell this was and to be fair, never seen this old man before in his life.

"I don't take appointments from the Prime Minister. Only Emperor Makoto can summon me before him, if he so wills it."

The old man just snorted, "Neither his Majesty or the Prime Minister summoned you. I'm here to inform you, that you'll be working with the 'Three Beasts' of Lady Esdeath, until her arrival from the Northern region. You are to wear this uniform as us now..."

He passed a bundle to him but Tatsumi just stared at him before chuckling. That made the old man narrow his eyes at the younger Officer who shook his head at the news. He didn't take the bundle, nor did he even remotely acknowledge the orders in place. He voiced out the questions and the refusal to do such things, to make the tensions between them grow more fluently. Already, this man expected him to be submissive and just accept this? He could go to hell as far as he was concerned.

"On whose authority? Until I hear those words from the Emperor himself or the Great-General whose stationed here, will I not listen to you. As far as I'm concerned my orders are to remain here stationed at the Imperial Palace until further notice, so by all means _geezer_ try to say something that will make me draw my blade. Teigu or not..."

The Colonel added the last part as an afterthought mainly as the old man shook his head at him. No move to strike was ever made as the old man left a parting message when went to his own room down the hall. Still the information given to him, made his heart race as he knew of who that woman's name was, it was a bit unnerving to hear that _**she**_ was returning to the Capital.

The General who was a demon of Ice and Death.

He had no quarrel with her other than meeting her once or twice in the past but he hadn't thought of it as nothing more than luck. She wasn't a general then and her eyes hadn't cared for him, or so he thought as he got pulled back into reality from the old man himself. While not the most harshest person, to wish ill will on others and what not.

He hoped the old man had a heart attack.

Just to save him the trouble to fight him off.

"You'll learn tomorrow morning, _boy_. I'm just giving you a fair warning, Lady Esdeath does not tolerate false 'bravado' in her presence."

"_I already hate you. Fucking old bag of bones."_

Soon enough he shut his door, that old man thought he would cave under his words and the idea made him spit in disgust.

Was this the real reason why he was pulled from his Legion, after winning victory after victory over the rebellions in the Western Territories? Serving the Empire at his finest, at his most efficient way to command a Legion was what he desired, to remain out there and grow. He felt a cold chill run up his spine, since the full weight of that name finally sunk into his mind. This wasn't a good thing, in a way or for whatever reason why as the mental image of a beautiful blue haired woman appeared before him.

He shuddered when he remembered the tales of The Ice Queen: Esdeath...

"Why would I be placed under her command? I don't recall ever talking to her recently but more importantly, who arranged this? I need answers, perhaps the Emperor can explain to me or the Great-General Budo, this is just very unexpected. I need some sleep in order to understand, whats going to happen to me. This is just a little too much to handle."

Moving towards the desk, Tatsumi blew out the candles before placing all of his belongings into his parcel. Tomorrow he would deal with this new obstacle in his way, in the form of the 'Three-Beasts' who had no ideas to who they were and what they were doing here in the first place. Yawning tiredly, the young Colonel took the rest of his uniform off and eventually lied in the bed that was provided for him.

Soon enough sleep claimed him, as the next day would things prove to be exceptional.

The moon shined through the clouds revealing Tatsumi's carefree face sleeping under its watch...

**End Chapter Four**

**Author's Note: **Okay, I had to make a slight change to my schedule for this story. Since I'm going to be out of town this weekend, so I do apologize about the early update. It's nothing serious, but merely a getaway with a group of friends and to do whatever. Apart from that, I've loved the feedback people have been giving me.

So thanks to all who have given me the confidence, or rather the motivation to say that you all want more of this story. I try to make a decent read, nothing more in all actuality. Some have said to me, I'm a good writer but, to be fair: I have never tried to claim such things. Trust me, I think anyone can write a story and its a just of matter keeping yourself steady to pace out what you want.

Onto some popular questions/remarks.

I've gotten more than a few questions as to when Esdeath is arriving, do you think I'm going to cave in that easily? Be patient folks, when she does make her appearance it's going to different from most of the interactions from what I witnessed. To all those who asked, just wait and enjoy the flushed out sides of Tatsumi own natural charisma. It brings me to something, that is quite dangerous for a person to not realize what he can do and to what can accomplish by talking. What happens when a person, has that means to inspire others and unintentionally attracts the 'eager' personality.

In this chapter, I referred to the Pre-Jaeger member that we all love, whose insanely bi-polar and has a skewered vision on the world.

Seryu is a _by-product_ of the Akame-Ga-Kill World, really she's **not** evil at least to my eyes. It's a grim reminder of this story, in this world. That she's had a commonly sad life, she's had problems and tried to do what she could to stop the terrible things hurting her. As we know in the Manga, Seryu's gradual warped descent as Stylish was killed became very _potent_ that even Esdeath comforted her. (Note that's a rarity, for her do that other than Tatsumi in canon) So, why not try to rock the boat to have the Colonel encounter her?

Tatsumi's words to her, will have a profound effect on himself and Seryu herself, down the line a bit. When that time comes in which something will occur, these conversations that are going to happen between them will be building up. To something that will utterly make you (as readers) question another thing, that pertains to Tatsumi's place in this story. I'm talking about someone, that's going to tough for some to swallow a bitter truth to this question below.

Is Esdeath an _Evil_ person that is there to cause hell, or is she just another _By-Product_ of that world?

You don't have to answer it, but we know of her past: so is she, really evil?

I ask that you wait and see...

Also someone brought up, an interesting thing: '**Naivety**' when it comes down to Tatsumi's actions, I'd hoped that someone would eventually catch on later but for sake of those doubtful on the boy's intentions. Let me be clear, "_Tatsumi is naive in a way that is **similar** to his canon-self, but at the same time, its a **forced** naivety_." The kind that people could inflict onto themselves, for reasons I will not expand upon.

It will change gradually, this is all intentionally on my part, as you will see in the coming chapters and I will touch upon that reason of: "_Why?"_

Another thing: thank you to everyone for submitting the OC's/Teigu's.

Don't expect any OC's or Teigu's to appear until like Chapter Ten, to be fair and you all have to wait to see what I chose. So the the next update will be roughly give or take two weeks from the time I post this chapter. Until then, that's all I have to say about this chapter and as more chapters get put out.

I hope everyone is happy and safe, wherever you're at now.


	6. Chapter V

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Five**

Tatsumi awoke earlier than expected the next day.

He hadn't awaken to the sight of the sun rising beyond the horizon, behind the view of his window.

No birds flew from their perches, at least not during the night itself but dawn was coming regardless of what his body needed for sleep. Getting up, he started to light the candles in his room to get some light to change into his uniform again. Last nights revelations were plaguing his mind now: it started to hit him fully now. He was to become a subordinate to the Strongest General of the Empire, the Ice Queen of Death, Esdeath and he had_ not_ a clue as to why she selected him for such a position.

Perhaps he was going to be sponsored to take the helm of her own armies?

"But when did I ever get her attention?"

Such a transition of power was allowed within the Empire, but only at the Emperor's approval to see such a change occur and it wasn't taken too seriously. Mainly that law thankfully was merely traditional at best, it was informed when Generals handed their armies to successors viva from injury or retirement. So ideas were forming but nonetheless it still made him very uneasy, he hadn't encountered the woman in probably...

Oh, that answer took a bit longer than necessary to answer.

That took him a moment to find an exact date, possibly a year ago when the Emperor summoned the loyal Generals to his thrown room to witness the promotions of those proclaimed to be 'the next generation' of leaders and the top Generals were in attendance evaluating their talents. She could have been there, but nothing stood out from the memory in that sense.

Tatsumi had been among the last of those summoned, he hadn't created any waves of his own tactical prowess expect for commanding a small portion of a legion of one thousand men to stand against an army of five thousand rebellious peasants that looked one of the Imperial Armies in the South-Western portion of the Empire when he had turned fifteen at the time.

The exact memory was foggy at best...

Recalling coherently it came down to a few details.

It was that he was the only highest rank left in that portion of the army after his Captain had been struck by an arrow to the forehead.

And from there, he took charge leading formations while on horseback, guiding the lines of shield walls to hold against the far more numerical force of rebels, that demanded their heads as the subjugation of them had gone horribly wrong. Wrong in the sense that they were driven to stake all the heads of the Imperial soldiers as a message of their anger, rightly justified at that.

Slipping on his pants while doing remembering the more early times of his career as a soldier, it was perhaps the most fearful moment that he came so close to death due to his courage to command his comrades to hold the line against an enemy who outnumbered them.

Until reinforcements came in the main bulk of the fifty thousand manned army.

The cluster fuck of a battle had taken place on a small hill above the nearby villages, as the peasants rose up against the presence of Imperial Garrisons.

"_This is where we hold them! This is where these fucking bastards die! Nothing gets through expect a spear thrust to crack open their fucking skulls! Hold them here, until they die!"_

Tatsumi distantly heard the clashes of steel in the back of his mind, seeing the wave of enemies come charging at them wildly as the entire mass of bodies made a small earthquake and those vibrations echoed in his bones till this day. A smile crossed his face from that line he spoke to the front of the armored covered Imperial Soldiers, the survivors afterward had told the tale of what he had said to them during the waves of rebellious peasants. The amount of cussing from a boy half their ages always made them joke that he had to get his mouth washed by his own mother and some wagered that she an Imperial Naval sailor due to his dirty mouth.

It had caused a decent amount of laughter back then with those soldiers who eventually retired as he grew in leaps and bonds, learning all he could from elder Imperial Army Officers.

Those days were quite simple to reflect on, now that he realized it a few years later.

It was an odd thing to say, he had a lot of experience for someone who joined the Empires Armies at the tender age of nine and survived all the way up till his soon to be eighteenth birthday. One more year until he became a real man, no longer a child but someone who understood what it meant to use every resource to destroy an enemy. Learning as he went to lead his own Legion and to eventually, see the dreams he wished to achieve under the banner of the Empire.

Shaking his head lightly, he smirked before getting the rest of his uniform on.

Keeping his parcel closed, he left it on the desk along with his old village wooden idol that would always remind him of those who had believed in him at a long age to make a name for himself and to remember those childhood memories. He had lost people, it had hurt, still until now and it would never go away as long he couldn't accomplish his dreams of seeing the Empire change into a better tomorrow, where Justice reined and Hope drove the people to become united under the Emperor's reign.

A deep sigh escaped his lips as his hands clipped his weapons to his person making him a presentable soldier within the home of the Emperor himself. Placing gloves over his hands, he walked to the small mirror to slip the ruby ring of penance onto his left index finger and his eyes watched himself warily. What could he say about himself now?

He looked young but mainly a bit tired.

Tired of what, though?

Ignoring that thought, he moved onwards.

Flexing his shoulders, the young Colonel slipped his beret on to show the crest of the Empire and his Imperial-Saber together in the center of his head piece. Tilting it down to the right, he kept the image of a strong and capable soldier for the Emperor to use him, as his will. Popping his knuckles, Tatsumi could only mentally prepare himself to face the challenges today since he peaked behind his shoulder to see the distant sun rising. Smiling he idly got himself comfortable before moving to the door to go the main dining area for this part of the Palace to get breakfast.

God willing, he'd avoid the face of the Minister in order to have a very well made platter of food to get his anxiety under control. Closing the door to his room, the hallway he stepped into had the lack of noise meaning not many were stirring up at this time of the morning.

He walked towards a staircase leading down into the hall, where he saw the well light table with servants setting up the meals for those within their quarters. Ducking his head to respectful acknowledge their work, the servants smiled hesitantly at the Imperial Officer respecting their own workspace to sit near the end of the table. No formal ceremony meant every seat was free expect for the good will of others to give them up, expect for the head of the table.

Tatsumi knew from experience only the Emperor was allowed at the head or the Great-General, if barring those two it was the most senior of Generals who took the head. This stemmed only in the Imperial Palace due to its importance as an imagery of tradition, respect and glory that made the Empire for it what was worth till this day.

The Colonel kept his head level occasionally searching for any guests but not a soul stirred, except for a few servants that catered in the hot moist foods. He saw bacon, ham, chicken and other sorts of things like that. Eying the staircase, only a few servants were here with him and decided upon to ask for information on whoever was stationed inside with him on that guest floor.

A servant lady walked by, he politely inquired while sitting respectfully.

"Excuse me, are there any guests staying this part of the Palace? I haven't heard anyone as of yet."

The woman flinched at his voice but he smiled kindly, trying to not panic the Imperial Servant who replied in a down-ridden tone that made him feel a bit uneasy.

"No, sir. You are the only one here along with General Esdeath's people, so there's four of you and this food, is to be served to the Prime Minister who is escorting the Emperor here within the morning."

She left him as he nodded grateful for the information, to explain the lack of bodies inside the Palace's guest quarters.

Sighing deeply, it meant he'd have his first challenge of the morning to face him down: respecting the Emperor's presence and not flinching at the sight of the Prime Minister. As long as he played the ignorant guest and courteous soldier, he'd make it without getting agitated at the lard's presence. Not to mention it would be best to sit at the end of the table, as far away from the Minister as well for his own mental sake and to resist drawing his Saber to gut him like a pig.

Rubbing his hands together anxiously.

He felt his heart race knowing he'd be the first to see the child-emperor in possibly a year and he wasn't well known with him either.

Tatsumi probably should have met the person he based his Legion off of first, since the uneasiness grasping his heart was akin to danger. Meeting the top leaders of the military were one thing, but the actual leaders of the Empire were something only the Great-General or the Minister Aides dealt with on a daily basis. Hell, considering the people he reported to were mainly Generals in the field, the lesser ones so it wasn't that difficult. At least than the ones who were infamous in the present time weren't as bad.

"_Just relax, take it like a briefing with a General. Calm breathes, calm thoughts and just go with the flow, easy going man. No different from the field..."_

Chanting those things into his cranium, the young Imperial eventually got his body under control and he could understand why, meeting the Emperor on a frontal level was rare for anyone his rank to do. Dimly smiling, he just felt that things were going a little too quickly for his liking and he felt like a coward, meeting the ruler of the Empire himself in the flesh.

Maybe he had to withstand the Prime Minister's presence to practice the self-control he had been searching for years now.

To remain in control, to do whatever he must to be calm and to not do anything rash.

A sudden voice broke him out of those thoughts.

"Sweet, we get another early riser. I feel kind of glad that I have someone who gets up earlier than me, now."

Tatsumi slowly turned his gaze to see a person similar to the old man last night that tried to force him to wear that black uniform but unlike that old piece of flesh, this new person was younger. A lot younger and positively still somewhat older than himself. The young Colonel was staring at the youngest of the 'Three-Beasts' and the lack of information kept his face perfectly neutral on what to think about this person.

However this was not what made Tatsumi wary.

This 'Beast' smelled like blood...

And he reeked of it to the point where it was, suffocating his sense of smell.

His frame while short didn't seem to be muscled, a shade of pale blond hair that was perfectly smooth and to have the eyes of a danger-beast. The pale blond's eyes that weren't full of anything other than a subtle, feral likeliness which set off instincts within his body. Golden iris's tracked his movements, very precisely and ultimately, amused to see him understand what lay in front of his presence.

The short boy like youth sat down directly across from the stoic faced Colonel who wasn't giving anything away.

"Hello Saber! I'm Nyau and I've heard a lot about you from people."

The hidden message, made Tatsumi's own hackles rise up, as the meaning came to him: _'I've heard a lot from people about you_'; would also known be as spies. Imperial espionage agents that were probably in the ranks of his former Legion and that idea alone, made his jawline tighten to the point where he felt the need to be ready.

So gripping the handle of his Saber, to find strength.

He would maintain a solid front of the smiling youth before even considering allowing his guard to be down in presence of a killer like this person.

Throughout his mental musings, the young man called Nyau hadn't even flinched from the slight adjustment of his stance while sitting down.

Almost immediately he scanned for any sort of Teigu that was hidden on his person.

"Good morning to you as well."

Nothing stood out yet.

So in the mean time: he'd keep his answers clipped and to the point.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't be so tight, we're going to be working with you now until Lady Esdeath returns to the capital and explain our purpose here. Don't you want to get to know me any _better_ 'Saber'?"

That purring tone of voice caused nothing but the urge to gag, from this twisted individual that he was conversing with across the table. If he thought Bulat was strange, than fucking throw that assumption out the window because he'd rather have his former teacher to peek on him in the stables than to remain in this creatures presence. It just didn't settle well with him, to be in this things presence or whatever it claimed to be.

Avoiding the urge to scowl, he kept his voice low but firm.

All to to hide his uneasiness with dealing with these strangers.

"That remains to be seen, I have no new orders, that state I'll be working with you and nor do I want to even get to know you. I'm Colonel to you Nyau not Saber, nor my name if you address me again."

The youthful man only snickered as his attempts to annoy the new subordinate of Lady Esdeath and so this would be a new challenge to take on to find weak points to make this younger boy bend against their wills.

Whistling a bit, he absently pulled out his Teigu '_Scream_' which was an elegant flute weapon, he began to play a sad melody that would make any person susceptible to pass out from the magic laced inside the sound waves. It certainly made the servants sleepy, causing them to get whipped for slacking off and it made all the more sweeter to hear their screams for mercy, which was such a wonderful tune he couldn't replicate at all.

He noticed the Colonel strain his eyes for a moment, before glaring at him in anger at the sounds.

But soon enough the melody trickled into the empty rooms of the palace, as servants working around them collapsed in sudden shock as their nerves became useless and their twitching bodies refusing to obey their own brains. Nyau could hear the moans of agony reach his ears, as he went about the daily routine of a morning melody to his would be play things and this way out of the hearing range of the child-emperor so, he had his fun to kill time. Nimble fingers played with the slits on his flute, carefully finding long pauses to make inner-ear drums explode if one didn't plug their ears in time.

Several of the Imperial Servants inside the dining hall cried out as feelings of akin to nails being pushed into their skulls, overwhelmed their own brains capability to filter the noise.

Their screams made Nyau sigh out blissfully, as the weak perished to his own strengths and the satisfaction in seeing their eyes pleading for mercy!

It was too sweetening to stop him.

One of them had blood coming out of the ears, signalling a beautiful sound that was made from his Teigu.

He would have continued for a bit longer before a sharp order came from the boy across from him, causing him to half open his eyes to see a face that was a thing of beauty.

"_What a handsome looking face, I'm going to enjoy this far more than I will admit."_

Silently Nyau commented mentally, his smile not wavering from the feeling of blood-lust that was radiating off this young boy.

"Enough!"

That cold anger from two blistering emerald iris's sent Nyau into a near sigh of bliss, the military Colonel seemingly couldn't stand wonderful music: such a shame on his part because it was just getting _good_. That expression that the youngster displayed, admittedly, terrifying to one who didn't hold a Teigu and that alone, made him confident enough to toy with the youngest member of their group. This had to be a first, someone without a Teigu not falling for his beautiful melodies and having the strength to talk back.

As well as his murderous intent did make him stop playing completely.

Which was a feat in its own right to make him cease the actions.

Only Lady Esdeath held that more potent gaze to freeze a soul in its tracks, literally...

"You don't appreciate a good morning melody, Colonel? I'd assume spending nights in a soulless wasteland would make you appreciate my talents, unless am I offending you?"

The reason why Tatsumi had spoken that command wasn't for his own sake, he was witnessing a convulsing woman not even three feet over to his right hand side and her eyes were widen as unspeakable pains tore at her body. He had mild discomfort but beyond that, the melody didn't effect him too much but for the Imperial Palace servants, they were clearly being killed inside and out from the sound.

Eventually his self-control had reached a peak, when he stared right into the eyes of this servant woman.

Her eyes were pleading for _anything_ to stop the sound.

And he had a choice: to stop this abuse of power immediately!

"The only offense, is the lack of an actual tune. Your Teigu is clearly causing these people great harm, so I'm ending this right now before anything more permanent occurs. I'm not going to allow citizens to be slowly killed before my very sight."

His voice steel, his gaze precise and hands gripping his Sabers handle just out of sight. Allowing corruption to flourish had been one thing, but to brazenly torture the servants of the Emperor who clearly were doing their jobs and living the life as they could, to be allowed within the Emperor's home he had not stand for. Not even hell could stop him from doing something good within the Palace of the Emperor.

Tatsumi's word held sway over the servants slowly getting to their feet.

The Colonel wasn't noticing the grateful, happy and awed faces of the servants getting up from their previous fetal positions. A few more than one look of disbelief lit he faces of the servants, as to to see someone actively defending them. This was a sorrowful sight for sure, as the young Imperial officer kept his gaze on the still smiling young 'Beast' across the table.

"Why should you care about these _weaklings_ that can't stand on their own, they merely drag down the ones who grow strong in order to be the best. Perhaps you feel obligated to protect them Colonel, but this is not the Army anymore as you obey Lady Esdeath herself now."

Slowly he raised the reddish black colored flute, almost taunting to play the melody again before he stopped when a prominent '**click**' echoed in the dining hall. Smiling at the Colonel who had his blade released by a few inches underneath the table, his gaze hadn't faltered but merely hardened to the point where Nyau raised his hands in a 'mock' surrender to the escalation of force the soldier was prepared to unleash.

Leaning back into his seat, the youngest of the 'Three Beasts' could only enjoy taunting the young officer.

His mood a bit ruined since he was unable to play his morning melody, he'd have to get this boy back in the future for doing so.

"I'll _remember_ this next time Colonel, oh I shall. No _one_ interrupts my melody in the morning."

The warning was met almost literally with his own threat, as Tatsumi retorted a bone chilling response to the potential action in the future.

If he wanted to torture citizens who were not corrupt or even apart of the Evil that infected his country, than his entire strength would be brought down onto the little miscreant of a blond bastard with extreme satisfaction. The Imperial Saber Commander personally had already started to despise these 'Three-Beasts', or subordinates that tried to make him feel inferior. He swore that Teigu or not he would take them out if necessary, painfully for sure.

This wasn't mean for a kind thing.

Not for Justice or Hope...

But this was for **retribution** for those he knew in the back of his mind, that were killed by their hands.

"Next time I'll ripe out your tongue and make sure it clogs that piece of wood if I see you attempt to kill any citizens of the Empire again. So remember _that... _"

Nyau grinned at the challenge that been issued, what an interesting little boy that wanted to go up against his Teigu '_Scream_' and he'd have to find a way to kill him for threatening him. Apart of the him at least to the blond youthful man, had to give this 'Saber' guy a slight sliver of caution: he had the balls to stand up and threaten him. This felt eerily like Lady Esdeath's presence but less refined for a better lack of a word, which kind of him made him a bit uneasy once his master arrived from the Northern Regions.

He got brought of his musings when the Colonel let his Saber retract into its sheath, as another presence filled the room.

Nyau's colleague walked down the stairs, clearly not pleased with what he overhead.

"Ah, good morning Liver. Did you sleep well?"

"_So that's who the old man is, a fitting name as well. Liver? He's delusional to think that last night would rattle me, he's nothing more than old rotting liver himself and I have to say, he's not scary at all. Although its better to be on guard, I don't know what type of Teigu he has and what it could possibly do to a single target for that matter."_

Keeping his expression completely neutral, Tatsumi could only study the food being prepared out in front of him, as various servants were nudging the finer quality of plates his way. Resisting the urge to sigh, they were just becoming open targets for Nyau if hadn't noticed their favoritism in place and based on what he gathered from these people, angering them meant a painful end. He needed more information on these three who were the 'Three-Beasts' and that would lead him to contact Night-Raid for that type of deal.

Eliminating these three weren't guaranteed but it felt these _masquerades_ would slaughter innocent citizens in front of his very eyes because they saw what they were doing. Instincts were screaming at him to defend himself, as the old man walked behind him commenting.

"Clearly such a disrespectful brat. Nyau, I'm surprised you haven't put him down. Are you are just playing with your own feelings again?"

Liver's tone wasn't arrogant but merely stating a fact as the one in question snorted mentally.

Tatsumi had to do a double take on what was said, he may have misheard something. Really did that _old fossil _**just** call him a disrespectful brat? The insults he could handle but being called a child, was nothing sort of disgrace as his time as a solder of the Empire and all his experiences to be disregarded so casually? Not a chance in fucking hell, or heaven itself.

Quickly biting the inside of his cheek, the Colonel of the Imperial-Sabers wanted to have a moment to break that old man's back just for saying his efforts in creating a Legion to directly listen to the Will of the Emperor was nothing more than disrespectful? How was that disrespectful in the least? Insulting his men was the guaranteed thing to really get him hot blooded, violently at times.

Slowly rage boiled within his chest, he'd be able to contain it but if there was a time in the future where he could get one of these two alone...

The possibilities would be a little too satisfying for him to endure.

"We'll have to see if his bite, is just as big as his bark. Don't be worried Liver, I'm sure you can take him down faster than I can, after-all experience before youth right?"

Nyau smiled charmingly at the elder man who allowed a smirk to appear on his stern face, "Quite indeed. To be fair, if a second rate Legionnaire lasts as long as I think: it'd be worthy to lick the blood off our Teigu. I'm sure Daidaraa would agree, if he were awake."

Their pleasant laughter made the lone Officer at the table bite his tongue, to ignore the stabs that were daring him to say a word to defend those he served with.

Oh they were trying so hard to be spitting on his Legion and their founding principles in order to see the Empire become more than it was now.

"_They laugh, now but when they see the wall of Flesh and Steel coming to tear their spines out, they'll be much different. Keep on taunting me, I can handle such things but when the time comes, you'll taste my Saber down your throats you despicable bastards."_

This wasn't the first time he had heard people bad-mouth or insult, the 'Imperial-Sabers' in his command when out in the Western Territories. Even after his accomplishments with ten-thousand men, they were often mocked as 'Glory-Hounds' or 'Soft-Hearts' because of their ways to rebellions that rose up within there are to police or mop up. Lesser insults followed because of the way there successful records were done.

The were showing mercy.

His soldiers were an army that didn't loot their conquests, plunder their own country-men or rape the captives.

Most of the Empire's Armies made themselves quite unpopular for most past, especially the invasion force in the northern parts of the Empire.

Many of the Imperial Armies were less than thrilled to see an upcoming idolized Legion that could put down any sort of threat being domestic peasant riots, rebellious populations or foreign troops within any reasonable amount of time and never have to worry about the dangers again. Tatsumi felt his heart clench with pride, the Imperial-Sabers were a group that stood above the rabble that inhabited the ranks of the Empires fighting forces, the greatest virtues of men and weapon were what drove them into battles! To be drawing up victory after victory to secure their territories, for the glory of the Empire.

If more than one General in another part of the Empire had negative remarks about his Legion, well he'd have an answer ready to say in that bastards face regardless of whoever...

"_Then you aren't doing your job right, so fuck off and learn to do it right, as a real soldier."_

One of these days he'd have the right moment to speak of such an insult.

Unfortunately he got cut short when the last of the subordinates of General Esdeath came down towards the dining table, a massive brute of man who looked the most humane amongst the trio and that was a bold statement to assume in the Colonel's eyes. Studying this new arrival more intently, the brute of a man yawned while avoiding the servants scrambling out of his way and he didn't seem to mind them at all.

Still the lack of attention on them meant the man was aware of his surroundings more so than he let on and for that, required an intelligent mindset.

So to be fair Tatsumi kept his reserves about what to expect out of him until his own actions explaining themselves.

"Every time you play that damned stupid melody, it almost puts me to sleep again, Nyau. Why'd you cut it short? Getting bored of playing with the toys around here?"

The giant rumbled yawning as the smaller compatriot of his merely referred to Tatsumi's silent form. Liver had closed his eyes remaining sitting on his chair on the opposite side of the younger man, whereas the bigger giant took a spot near Tatsumi's still form and had to resist the urge to raise an eyebrow at his actions.

The lack of tension in the room seemed odd to those coming and going, with the food from the Imperial Palace's kitchens.

"I'd have played more of my sweet melody, but _someone_ wanted to play the hero and stop me from breaking the weaklings making us food. He's got a solid spine to threaten both Liver and I. So I'll see if its made of rubber when I tear it out from his body."

The giant man laughed before slapping the Colonel across the back as he stared over at the happy smiling youthful man, whereas the elder one watched the reactions of their newest 'ally' if that term applied right.

"Watch your tongue now, I don't give a third warning..."

Tatsumi's own words were measured properly to create a bit more tension.

And with the lack of a reply from the blond man gave him all the more reason to fear these people less.

Well to be confident enough to take them on and for what it was worth, he already hated two thirds of his company. The Colonel merely asked a question to the larger man sitting less than a meter away, who started to laugh at his fellow comrades faces. Anything to ignore this filth in front of his gaze.

Whoever the new guy was in his eyes to make them both seem like they swallowed something bitter, seemed pretty strong in his books to do such a thing. He had no problems answering the smaller man's question.

"So, who are you supposed to be called?"

The big man replied sizing up the smaller figure, "I'm Daidara, and you are?"

Tatsumi smiled briefly, "Call me Saber. It's nice to meet you."

For some reason, amongst the three of these people this guy seemed much more civil to get along with and his instincts were certainly serving their purpose. Compared to the other two, this man wasn't insulting him and gave him the benefit of the doubt, so Tatsumi could respect that in kind to offer the same deal. He'd taken a small gamble in letting this person call him his formal title, more so to show that he could be friendly if need be or remotely civil to those that showed the same attitude.

As far as he was concerned, Liver and Nyau were just typical scum-bags in his eyes and deserved nothing less, than his Saber rammed down their throats based on what he saw of them already.

However he ignored both sets of eyes studying his facial features, in order to gain an edge on him.

"Saber huh? Must be strong to have a name like that. Hell, do you want to fight?"

The eagerness in his tone wasn't able to hidden as the Colonel thought about it the offer for a moment.

An actual battle against another Teigu user at his leisure, it would be perfect to keep on gauging himself to take on the other Teigu still hidden in the world. Honestly, if it helped relieve his soon to be stress levels than he'd welcome the change to go all out in order to get his emotional state in a complete neutral zone. Finding help to assist him in his goals were going to be pain, at least within Night-Raid he had some sort of progress but in this group of 'Beasts', and hope was limited.

Not impossible, just limited.

No matter where one was at, where one had stood and where one had seen the reality of the world.

Hope still lived within those who held firm, this for where there was hope: there was faith, in to see a better tomorrow.

"If there's a time and a place, I wouldn't mind it. I don't have a Teigu so be aware when you lose, just imagine how much stronger I could be."

The challenge was sent eagerly and willing.

As that made the big man only grin in excitement as a fanatic of battles and the chance to fight someone strong would be worth the efforts of his lust to fight.

Daidara offered a hand, an 'agreement' of sorts as Saber shook on it and the two crushed each others limbs to see their resolve.

In the ancient past, warriors of old could tell whether an adversary or ally held the strength to stand what they believed in, this case was no different. Only that in the modern times, did such an old feeling of instinct reemerge into a silent pact between two men who would only thrive to fight against one another to become strong and to eventually see who would see the next day to find their lives fulfilled.

Tatsumi didn't flinch at the pressure the giant exerted, but he merely shrugged it off.

Truthfully he loved a good practice duel to get his mind set on the goals he had to accomplish ahead in the future. This guy hopefully, wasn't Evil because it'd be a shame to kill a friendly face for once and that got him a bit concerned. Finding help from those in Power was narrower than ever, if the Corruption of the Capital had flushed any remaining spots of 'Hope' then the struggle would be that much harder.

Sighing to himself, he ignored the looks of curiosity from the remaining Beasts, they wanted to push him into an frenzied man who defended his past and have him make rash decisions.

Tatsumi would sooner rip their tongues out than fall for an obvious baited trap, Liver and Nyau as far he was concerned: had their warrants signed for him to bide his time, for when Evil became arrogant, it'd drop its guard for him to purge it from his sights. The thoughts in that day in the future could only be for him to to be patient, to wait for that opportunity while improving his own skills to see the strength needed for change to come to the Empire.

Firmly maintaining a professional discipline as an Imperial Soldier took the forefront of the challenges to had to overcome in order to destroy the Evil within his sight.

Anything less would to falter and he had never backed down when it reared its face.

"Well isn't this so, a foolish boy and a simpleton getting only: how touching."

Liver drew out while setting his posture to await for the food to be served, his taunts didn't go unnoticed from the two in question though one was more amused that anything.

Daidara only shrugged chuckling, "Vindictive old man aren't you, in the mornings Liver? You need to find a new bed."

Tatsumi felt a rather subdued rage at the taunts, still he kept his face passive while waiting for anymore surprises for the morning to appear as he kept a vigil on Nyau who had his flute out again. If he had to maintain his posture then so be it, but he would at least oversee that no citizens were harmed in doing their tasks for the Emperor himself, that required his due diligence to see them safe. He had an uneasy feeling that he had become a target for these 'Beasts' to continually hound him for weakness or any sort of open slot to possibly harm him fatally.

Silence reined at the table, with each man pertaining to his own thoughts or devices to pass the time as faint sounds of dishes being prepared beyond the room were heard.

The double doors leading to the Imperial Kitchens were active, with women and men setting down huge portions of all kinds of meals within the morning routine.

The young Colonel could only stare at the variety, since this couldn't be all for them and if so, how in the living hell was his stomach going to withstand such a task? Unable to resist that meager interest, he looked to Daidara who had an dual-edged Axes out, cleaning it with a rag and asked him ignoring the looks of the two across from him.

He wouldn't acknowledge their existences, if they wanted to be the fickle scumbags in his sight.

"Why is there so much food and variety, Daidara? I doubt either of us can consume this much in a short time frame."

The giant man snorted amused, as if agreeing with the question and statement.

Idly flipping the huge ax of his around to make a faint whistling, the huge battle fanatic replied in a smug tone.

"Majority of this is for the Prime Minister and the Emperor, Saber. We're only getting two helpings at the most and what we get, of it is as dull as it can be. Unless the Minister throws a party tonight, which isn't out of the question since it gets loud here..."

That information couldn't anything less _troubling_ since the last he saw of the child-emperor, he wasn't fat. At least not in proportion to that lard of a Minister he hoped his blood levels would crush that small festering organ of a heart, in order to allow something _new_ to change in the Imperial Palace. On a brighter note of things, this giant man wasn't too bad if he was this civil to him without insulting his presence, for every couple of minutes.

Again ignoring the scrutinizing glances of the other 'Beasts' he kept his attention on the larger man next to him, as a means to send a message to other two.

Nodding he returned his gratitude, "Thank you, for telling me. It's been some time since I last stayed here."

Immediately Daidara's interest got pulled, "You've been here before? What was the occasion?"

Tatsumi smiled briefly, trying to stem the full of extent of his feeling hidden from those that were willing to exploit him and on that note, he kept his answers short. If Daidara wanted a more detailed account of his time here, he'd have to ask him out of the hearing range of the two _fickle_ things mimicking human forms and then, he'd give his true thoughts.

However at this moment, he took the time to lean back in his seat to have a small trace of fierce loyalty creep into his tone.

Both eyes were glaring fully at the ones across from him, daring them to crack an insult at him now.

"About a year or so ago when I was summoned to the Emperor to be promoted, along with others in my status, personally for me to Colonel. The ceremony wasn't that grand and its where I got my assignment to use a Legion of Ten-thousand soldiers."

Telling the half-truths could be close to lying but for the sake of his slowly calming mood, Tatsumi didn't go into depth about it. In reality, the ceremony had been tense and anything but good whispers of his promotions, were said behind his back. Only the Generals in attendance were the only ones who kept silent, at times and mainly overlooked him in order to pick out 'favorites' to take under their wings, to train them and eventually lead armies for the Empire.

The blatant favoritism made him sick, at least he kept to himself from his peers and created more than enough suspicion of his status.

The only highlights that were important of that time, was that he was the youngest amongst those to be promoted and the Emperor himself commented about such a thing. Tatsumi was given the rank of Colonel, due to him being the youngest there and for that reason alone, it was enough to make his heart swell with pride. Despite all the hardships reaching this point, it was only starting to become apparent the true scale of what his dreams were implying.

To find hope, he had to find the enemies of the current system and somehow, to purge the Evil that lay within the Imperial Capital.

"Sounds boring."

Ignoring that answer, Tatsumi sat in his seat patiently waiting for what left of the servants were putting food out.

This process of waiting for the rest of the table's occupants to arrive were nothing less of practical means to ignore the smells of the hot banquet for a breakfast and once it ceased, something of more interesting events came to light. Once the food had ceased to be delivered to the long table, whose clothes were of a wealth that few could afford an Imperial Guard stationed inside the Palace addressed the four men within the room.

Tatsumi held no love for the actual Imperial Palace guards, their armor akin to darkened portrayals of what they were supposed to be.

Having bulky and unrefined heavy armored plating with halberds made them unable to maneuver if an adversary could move quicker. Their standard helms looked more like an expressionless body of flesh along with the icy vibes they gave off left little room for their distastes of guests inside the Palace.

Especially once he witnessed Tatsumi's attire of a soldier of the Frontier, the coldness permeated from the messenger was unmistakable as he outright ignored the 'Three-Beasts' who had varying levels of amusement at the gaze of the man.

Amongst them, only Liver could see the reason why the hatred of the guard was placed and for that matter alone, the old man smiled at the idealistic cause of it all.

Still they listened as the message or rather, event that just occurred.

"General Esdeath has returned from her conquest in the Northern Regions with the head of Prince Numa Seika. She's requested that her subordinate's the 'Three-Beasts' go to her quarters for a new assignment. Colonel _Saber_ is report to the throne room immediately. Under, escort."

The news had be given out, as the three subordinates of the Ice Queen herself looked absolutely glowing that it made Tatsumi feel disgusted.

He understood the respect and admiralty ones troops held their leaders but they had the looks of fanatical clerics that would use live sacrifices to earn the favor of a god. He could see that fanatical desire to serve a person that other than the Emperor, deserved and for that lone their attitudes made him question the validity of whether they truly served the Empire.

He had heard of tales of the infamous Esdeath, at least in passing and the acts she had ordered were nothing short of hellish proportions.

Even on the distant frontiers like the Western Territories, the fearful tales and rumors of an Imperial General so terrifying that even wild Danger-Beasts stayed clear of their sources. As an officer of his standing, Tatsumi had heard of other Generals lower ranked than the ones issued the command to lead invasion forces or subjugation's, spoke of the beauty that was the literal Death-God come to life.

Nothing short of a goddess of destruction, anything that was rumored of her made her to be the pinnacle of strength for the Empires Military to witness and more so to emulate, Tatsumi knew of the horrors that were committed to the his fellow country-men, the innocent citizens who hadn't arose in arms against the system and still were slaughtered.

No efforts were made, for him to verify the rumors due to his own tasks.

But he kept an ear out, listening to the cries of thousands and so many who spoke of the Ice Queen.

Every General had their own ways to manage an army, to get results and inspire moral to keep them at full willingness to lay down their lives for the Empire. The results could not be disputed but at what cost for the future? Using these ruthless tactics and disregard for innocent lives would further alienate the Empire on what it was founded on, to create more enemies more than any god forsaken Evil had done in the ancient past!

Rebellions were popping up faster than before any time in history, he had could see the tens of thousands enraged at the treatment they were given and it took him literally a year to _personally_ direct the feel of 'Hope' back into those that saw the Empire as a cruel monster that raped the lives of it subjects. For within his mind the chants of his Legion's that he had forged, were demanding to cleanse the atrocity of Evil itself.

"..._In the face of evil we do not back down, __**ever**__._"

He understood their pains, but Tatsumi hadn't known the weight of it all as he kept on crushing rebellion after rebellion within the most unstable region of the Empire itself: the Western Territories themselves. Countries of fathomable strength lay beyond the borders of the great steppe-landscape that covered the near length of the West, leading into the greater plains beyond into foreign nations.

He hadn't encountered the Armies of those foreign nations but he knew of their races, mixing with the Imperial Populations on the frontier in order to cause a cultural bombardment of treatment. Tatsumi had seen the tenacity of thousands of armed peasants, or looted Imperial Armories to slam against his post time and time, again.

He never lost 'Hope' to teach those to be given a chance, a chance to have faith in Justice and to see that light of a better tomorrow. Those days were full of tears, his orders to destroy ever rebel who took up arms and to issue the messages that such actions would be met with no mercy. Tatsumi performed those duties to the letter and in doing so, made his Goals and ambitions clear.

To make the Empire the very thing that it should have been, as it formed over one thousand years ago and to make the Empire become the very place that all citizens would flourish under the Emperor's reign. That dream could only make his heart alleviate the pain of the thousands he had killed, be at rest for his sins to do the work of Evil and that...

That just made Justice become all the more a reality, to be made.

"See you around, Saber. Time to go fight and play."

Daidara's grinning face nudged the silent sitting form of the Colonel who nodded at the man, who moved to the door as the Imperial Guard waited.

"You'll be seeing us more, boy, so don't try to _cry _once we perform our duties."

Liver spoke up walking out the door as Nyau flashed the glaring Officer a cheeky grin that promised future endeavors to make his rage tested. The three elder man did not say much more other than, to walk past the guard who wasn't particularly happy to see their presences as well. Tatsumi could only imagine why, since he wasn't aware of any on-going feuds with the Imperial-Guards to the Army.

Breathing in deeply, the young Colonel pushed his chair in, as various servants who were adjusting the chairs of the table lowered their heads at him.

A sight noticed by the scowling guard at the door, who didn't particularly enjoy the 'reverence' they were showing to the upcoming Colonel whose face was the perfected example of a passive man.

Even the woman, who he had initially protected from Nyau's melody whispered a revered grateful sentence that made his heart soften. The whispered hope that he had given her, that good men were still in power and we would _abandon_ those in need of help against Evil itself. Regardless of where it lied, the many faces of it and he would be there, to purge it from his sight. Colonel Saber did not back down from Evil, at all ever.

"Thank you, my lord."

He smiled, before moving to the black armored Imperial Guard for the Emperor his sets clearly awaiting the man's instructions.

To be in the presence of the Emperor, Tatsumi could not help but smile at the 'Hope' he could achieve by giving it to the people so that the chance for a better tomorrow, could be inspired by faith the Empire's ruler could give out. This pride and zeal to his country, overran the uneasiness to be in the same room as the Prime Minister who was the face of Evil that caused so such suffering to be made.

"Follow. Now."

The commanding tone ignored, Tatsumi moved behind the guard leading onto the Golden Throne in the center of the Palace.

Within the center of the Imperial Palace, the walls of the Throne room were made of the purest white stone that had been ever found and used to construct the very home of the ruler of the Empire. The pure texture, smooth, pristine and utterly noble for the coloration of its purpose meant to those to gaze at the pillars holding the roof overhead. That long history of idealism within the Empire as 'Just' and 'Fair' ruler who gazed over his domain that expanded for thousands of miles and controlling, millions of subjects at his command.

Portraits lined the walls leading into the hall of the throne, images of past battles and figures that were recognized by the Emperors of succession. Granting them eternal recognition for their deeds to the Empire, to its citizens and to their own dreams of being the 'Heroes' of old that inspired future generations that looked at their pasts. No soldier could ask for a greater Glory of being the heroes that many of their future families would tell their sons, their daughters and bring the new age of peace for the Imperial Country itself. Nothing more could be achieved for such honor, for such inspiration and the love of the Emperors that gave that eternal wish to the ones who achieved it all on the fields of battle.

War brought death, which brought the very fabric of Chaos and Evil into the hearts of millions.

But Victory was what gave peace, victory was what gave 'Hope' and to give 'Justice' to those that were haunted by the very Evil that war spawned. These images of men, women and faces of the very subjects gave their lives to make the Empire an unmovable pillar to stand against the World itself. Time was an enemy, time made all such memories disappear but the spirits of those who believed in the Empire would never forget the sacrifices that those many Heroes of the past gave to the future.

These were the feelings that Tatsumi Saber witnessed studying the paintings of men and woman, of great Power whose images made all of the Emperors pride themselves to have such soldiers of fortune giving to their legacies.

On one side of the hallway, the left hand the images of 'Heroes' and other mighty 'Generals' had each his or her own, portrait of whatever event made them so honored. Battles of sizes beyond the eye could be detailed, images of light and wings of an angel were in others as virtues of representation. Also, the humble yet noble lineages of those standing firm in the face of the darkness could be spotted amongst the darkness of war.

Swords stabbed to have them stand tall, firm and prepared against whatever conflicts were within their times.

A great number of men and women, stood eternal in the Empire's legacy of the world.

"_Would you understand that my dreams are worthy of your legacies, Heroes of Old and Generals of the Imperial Sword? Would you know the weight of my own dreams to be achieved? I only ask for your judgment to be reserved once I cross into the veil of death itself, for that I serve the Emperor unto death when my loyalty will be judged in your eyes. Glory to the Empire, brothers and sisters of the Imperial Armies..."_

Each heart beat of his only made him feel his body grow lighter, when each of the portraits passed by.

This left hand sight only consign itself to the gazes of each Emperor in the past, for all the portraits were aligned to where each Hero, General had all belonged to the age of that Emperor they had served and died for. Each alignment had its ages of Glory and Recognition while maintain the unification under the Empire's existence. Tatsumi payed his respects to those that walked the very halls he was doing and could only ask for their guidance of his own dreams to the country he loved.

Everyone of those that were staring from their frozen times in life, he as Colonel 'Saber' could only withhold tears knowing that the world they fought for had gotten worse since their passing's and he felt alone, in order to bring back that sense of righteous to the Empire.

The Grand Halls of Fame and Glory passed, to the double doors of golden penance to those who sought to witness the Emperor in his court. Each door held symbols of ancient texts that protected the Throne room from Teigu users that could assassinate the one who led the Empire, it was a pretext to the bigger picture that the First Founding Emperor decreed as the weapons were made.

The Symbol of the Empire lay incrusted upon both frames, laced with silver and bronze to maintain the humble origins of those who fought with value of humility. It made the doors to the throne room, unbelievably beautiful that the guard in front of him stopped as he did...

Both servants of the Empire staring at the doors, to be summoned within the Emperor's gaze.

"_I remember standing here over a year ago, to be back so soon to be in the sight of the Golden-Throne makes me happy. Although then, it was a ceremony for the youngest of us Imperial Officers to be recognized for our upcoming talents to lead the Armies in the Empire's name, for the Emperor and to earn Glory for being who we were."_

Closing his eyes, Tatsumi felt himself drift backwards into his memory about the day he was standing in this very passage into the throne room. Silence parted as familiar sounds reached his ears, the footsteps of the guards opening the doors that lead into the very heart of the Empire and nothing less could be said for the grand features that lied within, the eyes of the Emperor himself. Hinges groaned as men from inside the throne room, used their strength to open the doorway to reveal the true face of the Empire.

He could only watch as those doors churned...

* * *

><p><em>The much younger Tatsumi watched in awe as the double doors swung open, as he marched with a formation of two dozen young men and the occasional, woman into the Golden Throne room of the Empire. Hundreds of people were standing at seats all encircling the massive throne itself, with steps layered with flowers and rugs fit for the young child-emperor who sat high above the proceedings. <em>

_Hundreds of subjects were in attendance today._

_The politicians chatted lowly, high-military ranked Generals talked in their own sections and many numerous Nobles of rich families watched this soon to be ceremony._

_An entire traditional event to garner support for those soon to be in power, as prestige and wealth were on the line for those invested in such values._

_The small formation lead by a senior Imperial Throne room Captain, made them halt before issuing orders for them to split into two horizontal ranks to remain at attention for the beginning of the promotional 'futures' of the Empire to commence._

_Music played from various instruments to give the room a light, festive and proud day to be as the eyes of the Imperial Country were on the few youngsters that were coming into adulthood to lead the next formation of Armies stationed across the entire landscape of their home country._

_Nerves came to life, as Tatsumi felt his body grow hotter than anything possible as his form was rigid and unyielding to show weakness in front of so many. Their eyes searching over anything that stood out, his youthful face caused more than a few people to point at him directly or, rather the female attendants of various political circles._

_That got him to ignore the growing sense of disgust in his stomach, he hated politicians and just wanted to fight the enemies of the Empire for Glory of the Emperor that sat high up on the Throne._

_Rose petals floated from high above the ceiling, were artworks of tremendous skill filled the sky-box of the blue clear skies above in a glass dome and having the sun shine down onto them. Child-like curiosity forced him to glance around to take in the details, as several of his teenaged peers held identical prideful looks as eyes of the wealthy or famous, washed onto their own bodies. A glimmer of self-disappointment made the young Tatsumi only feel inadequate as a few of his peers were being promoted to 'General' ranked and were amongst the first to be called forth, when the names of those recognized to be leaders came forth._

_Many of the people in the formation with him were adults, possibly less than a month from their own birthdays._

_His heart heavy with a sense of sadness since only turning fifteen tomorrow, currently just a low ranked Captain of another army in the east. Just another faceless soldier, in the long line of fighting rebellions and enemies through his time in the Imperial war machine._

_As the youngest and last in line, his name came up last after nearly an hour of various speeches reined onto the floor before the Emperor and many of the low conversations were being wrapped up with glasses of wine, ale and other such things being 'clinked' together. Waiting diligently for the past hour made his knees stiff but he'd at least enjoy the time in being in the light of the Empire's ruler, the Emperor and would not yield to the sorrows of his petty complaints._

_Applause's occasionally broke out when names were called out, names famous for their lineages._

_It didn't matter to him. For there wasn't a great honor to be rewarded by the Emperor: nothing less could be said of that honor alone would make him more happier, in his life._

_"Captain Tatsumi, of the Eastern Army. Step forth."_

_Standing tall, firm and his face completely passive in the faces of hundreds who watched him._

_The young captain moved with the grace of veteran despite his smaller frame and youth to his peers. Murmurings of such a boy within the chamber not noticing by the few ignorant could only ask on silently, why of a boy at this age was standing in the heart of the ceremonial montage of the future leaders of Imperial Militaristic leaders?_

_The talks grew in tempo, careful to not interrupt the ceremonial pace or interrupt the Imperial-Speaker who represented the Emperor. Amongst the eyes of the many that watched this procession, only a few could see what lay beyond the two youthful eyes of the young Captain from the Eastern Regions._

_"Due to your unwavering valor, adaptively that can be said of your courage, to leading of your own victories on the field of battle you have been rewarded to the status of leading a contingent of ten-thousand men. Many superiors of your own have called forth this push for leadership in your ability to command, they offer nothing other than their praises your worth to the Empire and for that alone, you will receive that mantle of responsibility. Do you accept this in front of the Emperor and the whole of the Empire, that which you serve as an officer?"_

_Voices still whispered even as Tatsumi kept his head lowered to the authority of the speaker, who was the Emperor's own voice despite being in the room that which this ceremonial montage held. Breathing in deeply as warmth from the sun above struck him in the back of his formal clothing with the lack of armor, his voice level and of acceptance._

_"I do and forever will."_

_The Speaker than took a bundle of clothing from a servant, who had his head lowered due to his station._

_"Then stand as you are now the rank of Colonel, given the full authority to command and lead as many before you have been given. Your future lies in the hands of the men that you will come to fight alongside with, to bleed with, to cheer with and to fight for the Glory of the Empire. For you carry the Emperor's will to bring forth that stability which he commands, to maintain. Accept your cloak, Colonel Tatsumi..."_

_Rising to his feet, the cloak of white silk and bright coloration slide around his shoulders. The Speaker had a servant dress him properly before placing the white Beret that would be his signature head piece for the future. It was placed over his head as his shadow beneath him seemed more intense, as he raised his head at the Imperial-Speaker that held a perfected face of compliance to his duties._

_Nothing accusing nor anything remotely, corrupt about this man hadn't made its way to his sight and for that he could be at peace._

_To accept the Empires rewards for his services, as the Speaker then asked him a question as he did to all the other attendees in the formation behind his back. Each other had task themselves to create grandiose speeches and what not, but Tatsumi only had three words that would only maintain his stance to the Emperor who sat on the golden-throne above him._

_Rising from his knelled position to the Speaker, who spoke up. The sun shining brightly onto the freshly promoted boy that many were studying intently since his presence was unknown, lacking compared to the newer Generals in the formation behind him._

_Bright red roses, royal blue violets and pink tulips rained down to mark the finale of the Ceremonial traditions. Many watched in varying forms of interest to see if the youngest attendee in that formation would have anything to say to mark his entrance into the Empires leadership._

_"Do you have anything to say to those attending in the audience, or to the Emperor himself on these gifts that have been awarded to you, Colonel?"_

_Tatsumi raised his head, "I do."_

_And then the order came, "Then speak, what you promise to the Empire and to the Emperor watching you this very instance. Show us, what you will bring to the future for those who witness others in the same place as you have been now."_

_Glancing upwards at the child-emperor who looked more innocent than anything, held an eager expression that made Tatsumi reaffirm in the 'Hope' and 'Justice' that were brewing within his mind. He wanted to say so much, but he had to say so little in order to understand what it meant to become a Hero for the Empire. In fact as he stared upwards at the Emperor who sat on the golden throne._

_He smiled, with the kindness that came from his heart, as all within the crowd witnessed it._

_Silence awaited for a speech._

_Three words, three words that held so much meaning and promise, that it caused the child-emperor to smile at the warmth they promised. A dedication that only his soul could project to the full extent of serving the Empire, for Glory and for peace itself._

_"I promise: Loyalty unto Death."_

_Needless to say, his speech was the shortest in recent memory but held the greatest impact that none of his peers had delivered to the whole of the Empire. The end of the ceremony went on and Tatsumi didn't stay for the festivities as he sat in his quarters that entire night, smiling at the words he promised for the Empire and to the Emperor himself, personally._

* * *

><p>It'd stay that way, his promise never to be broken.<p>

Only until that end, the day he would cease to be amongst the living was when: his loyalty would no longer matter.

Both doors to the throne-room opened, revealing a barren space that held the glamor its splendor to the throne as two figures were waiting. The guard lowered his head to the direction of the Empire's leader who was sitting there, fully dressed in the robes of those who lead the same country before him and would ultimately do so after his reign. Tatsumi could see the recognition of the boy's eyes light up at the sight of him, as his speech the year before was only for him and to the country he loved.

Nothing more, nor nothing less would come of that vow to the Emperor.

Moving to the base of the throne, he knelt before the Child-Emperor with all the submissive loyalty he had given to the Empire alone. Avoiding the gaze of the _twisted creature_ of a man standing not three feet from the one he had sworn his life too, his loyalty, his life and will to in order to see the Empire become what it was in the distant past. So he knelt there in a still form awaiting his Emperor's commands, with eyes closed in respect to the that ideal alone. Deep within his chest, his heart rate lowered its rate to make his body feel at ease.

His upper body straight with the middle of his dominant arm centered on the top of his thigh and the grace of a soldier: Colonel Tatsumi Saber became an image that would become his own of a man who'd die for his Emperor.

"You have summoned me my Emperor and I have come, at your will."

"_I promise: Loyalty unto Death."_

Those unspoken words reverberated into his bones, the very existence he lived and that intent alone: made his tone never once waver in the face of the Evil, standing at the insistence of the Emperor. He waited to hear what the Emperor asked of him, for his will was his own and he'd follow it to the end. Makoto spoke up clearly happy, his child like frame a positive smile as the Prime Minister ate a stick of beef while overseeing the exchange.

"Young Saber, it's been too long since I have last seen you! I'm sorry I had to have you ordered to be pulled away from your position on such short notice."

Words were honestly spoken despite their meanings being over-watched by the one who ruled their owners body and by that extension: the _creature _that played its disguise as a Minister well. Still he maintained his head lowered, submissive and utterly faithful to the Emperor who ruled the Empire that would see a better tomorrow.

Keeping a passive tranquil exterior, the young man did what he could to be at ease again.

"My Emperor it is no trouble. Your will is my own and I will obey whatever you ask of me. I ask nothing other than to serve you and bring Glory to the Empire. So what would you have me do in your name and to have your will be done."

Emerald eyes glossed over as a snort came from the Prime Minister as the boy looked up at his adviser, teacher and trusted figure which was placed so horribly wrong. Whatever past dealings that _ creature ensued _to become into a position of power was nothing short of disgusting. Tatsumi held firm, held his rage, held his desire to purge Evil and held the 'Hope' within his chest as the words of the snake came forth to test his zeal for country.

"Such a way with words for a loyal soldier, your majesty. His next assignment will give you the utmost confidence in him, don't you agree?"

Tatsumi heard the young Emperor reply animatedly, he clenched his fists hard to not make a facial twitch.

"I agree Prime Minister, I'm confident that we can."

"_Such insolence you rotten festering piece of scum, the Emperor makes his own decisions and you openly assure of such an action. What else are you using the Emperor's standing for and what more does this corruption that infect the Capital endure as your heart breathes. I'll never lose my faith and hope in the Empire, even until you are dead and burned..."_

Tatsumi's passive face didn't flinch, or remotely twitch as his mind roared with thoughts at the man in front of him.

Inhaling calmly, he maintained his professional demeanor and statue of an Imperial Officer in his shoes. Nothing would make him a fool in front of his Emperor and not the Empire he had sworn to serve unto his death. Hope and Justice would rein back into the hearts of the citizens, into the very heart of the country and to the boy who would be the Emperor that commanded him.

That drive to see that dream a reality, didn't make him falter in his actions now.

"Saber what do you know about the _terrorist_ Assassins group, Night-Raid?"

That moment when the very face of Evil, tried to ensnare him with its voice and how his mind resisted the urge to scowl openly. He would not answer, until the Emperor commanded him and for that reason alone he waited even after a moment of pause. It could be taken as defiance to speak or even time to think of an answer carefully, as it would have been a lot longer for Tatsumi to consider it.

Until the Emperor ordered him to speak, he would do so and to maintain his defiance to that creature of a man.

His mind wouldn't yield to the commands of an Evil scourge that demanded to be destroyed by his hand.

At least until Makoto chimed in eagerly, face glowing with the intent to hear his opinions which he confessed too truthfully.

Such was the way he made himself out to be as his Legion the 'Imperial-Sabers' would willingly die for and if such, to earn the Glory in the Empire.

"Please, Colonel do not hold back and explain, it is alright. No one will hear of this but myself and the Prime Minister as we have the Empire's best interests at heart."

Tatsumi pondered the words to form his answer, the events of staying with Night-Raid for nearly two weeks plaguing his mind and his resolve. Images of good people, with the best intent and the choice to be made to help the people of the Empire. Ignoring the 'best interests' and 'Prime Minister' within the same sentence, he took a breath to look at the base of Golden-Throne to maintain his honesty to the child sitting there.

"I believe Night-Raid is a _confused_ group that has an intent to destroy what they consider a threat to the Empire. Normally, if such a task or series of individuals under our Military would be praised for such results yet they are aligned with the Revolutionaries to the South. They seek open warfare against us, so for that too occur I shall not allow it, nor do I wish to see more death that will come to our citizens."

Breathing in through his nose, the young Imperial-Saber could only feel uneasiness creep into his body as the eyes of the most _potent malice_ of Evil crushed him slowly. His risk of being honest would cease whether his death would arrive sooner or later, if the Minister continued to rule the Emperor by the shadow of the Throne.

Still he continued and told the truth to his Emperor, who commanded him to do so.

"Night-Raid must be _stopped_, I know this in my heart, their intents might be considered _effective_ in taking out targets but they are undermining the Empire's stability. If they continue, open conflict with the growing Rebellion in the South will spill into an open blood bath for the Barbaric nations beyond our borders to cut away at us."

A gentle question came forth from the boy, who leaned forward with his eyes gleaming in fascination at his devotion to him.

The Prime Minister continued to eat his beef-stick, content and more so at taking a passive stance between the two young children in the room.

His eyes were colder than anything Tatsumi had ever encountered.

They were staring into his very core and that endless void only proved to disregard him as a tool.

Resisting the urge to glare, Tatsumi's own eyes kept focus on the warm gentle misguided gaze of his Emperor.

"What would you recommend, Colonel Saber? Please if I may ask, of you."

Muscles formed into a kind smile that made him well known in his command of the Imperial-Sabers appeared. Genuine feelings, that drove him to see his dreams a reality and he could see as Makoto was eager to hear an answer. It gave something for Tatsumi himself, to see in the Emperor that had been long since forgotten since the Evil plagued the Empire's heart: Hope...

"My opinion is just that: an opinion, my Emperor. My position is not one to say things beyond my standing other than to_ serve _you and _you_ alone. My will, is yours and yours alone to follow. But at your word my answer would be to _destroy_ them before they become too dug in, to be _purged_ out and so that the whole of the Capital would be stable for people to have faith and hope in us, for the Empire to see a better tomorrow. I am flesh and steel, a weapon for you to use and to be used alone. I ask only to serve, in your name. My Emperor."

For a few tense minutes, Tatsumi feared for his life when he almost pushed the subtle messages a little too far until laughter came in the form of the Emperor who clapped at the answer.

Swallowing the saliva in the back of his throat, he looked up to see the Prime Minister just chowing away on his beef without even caring about the Emperor's happier counter stance. Tatsumi could feel that _twisted pleasure_ of a man who wasn't human, just ignore the words he had spoken to the Emperor alone and seemingly just wanted to enjoy the relative peace.

His eyes were not fooled, the Minister had been watching him quite intently: for some time now.

"It makes me happy to know you would fight for me, young Saber. For that you have my utmost, gratitude to give me your words and for that, I hope we can end this violence soon. Prime Minister, do we have a plan to deal with this so far?"

Tatsumi's gaze lowered at the words, as his moment of panic vanished, he remained still and firm as always.

"Yes we do, your Majesty. In fact, I think we have a very, very absolute chance to deal with this group and the answer will be here momentarily."

The man's words had a profound effect on the child who nodded confidently at the older man, who was smiling so naturally it seemed fake. Tatsumi bore this with enough fortitude to withstand a Danger-Beast's charge that would crush steel in its place and that just barely held him in control of his boiling emotions.

After nearly ten minutes of conversing within the presence of the source of the Evil, within the Empire's heart: it'd had taken a toll on his mental capacity to remain in a state of ease. Keeping his thoughts pragmatic and what not, the young Colonel could only await his commands.

Eyes closed, the Colonel heard the doors to the throne room open.

Footsteps coming from heels, or something of that origin echoed into the room.

And the entire throne-room's very atmosphere changed to the point where Tatsumi felt his heart freeze.

"_What an incredible amount of despair, it feels like my blood is freezing within its veins and my body is stuck! How in the hell does a murderous intent just ooze out so easily, this is like a..."_

A multitude of footsteps go closer.

He counted four sets of them exactly with the remaining three in the back behind the fourth presences whose sheer presence made him nearly sweat.

Muscles within his arm nearly reacted to a powerful force glancing over him, _gauging_ him, _studying_ him, _**marking**_ him and utterly overwhelming his very being with strength that seemingly made it impossible to think of a clarity.

Inhaling through the nose and exhaling, Tatsumi used his fortitude to hear someone kneel next to his own submissive form in front of the Golden-Throne.

"_Who or what, the hell can make a person feel like death is within their grip. Oh no..."_

His thoughts got interrupted when an alluring voice of a woman, whose very sounds were enough to make him open his eyes and look over at the source to understand what could cause such an _empty_ emotion to be faked. So bland and utterly devoid of genuine emotion, he thought this were a monster to be sure.

Shifting his vision from the Emperor, whose eyes followed the movement as well and the Prime Minister who smiled almost so miniscule, it'd be a facial twitch of involuntary control but Tatsumi saw the mask of Evil unveil itself, crushing him in its tracks as the feeling of death swept onto his heart.

Tatsumi once thought he _understood_ the meaning of the word: trapped...

Not even an arms length away, the blue hair of a woman with the rank of a General and whose uniform shown with a white coloration that rivaled his own.

The Colonel's colors meant as a means to have Hope and Justice, the red outlines of his Legion marking him as such an Officer.

However this woman's uniform carried the stench of death, of blood, of destruction and utter _madness_ for the love of battle.

So much that it'd suffocated his very ability to think rationally.

Nothing could compare to this person, nothing he had encountered at all.

One trail of sweat went down his neck out of sight but his eyes were widening.

"I have returned your Majesty, from the Northern Lands with the head of their Prince Numa Seika as validation that all of your enemies have been dealt with. I hope my efforts bring nothing but happiness to you, my Emperor."

That last part, to Tatsumi had been a clear indication that this person overhead his own retelling to the child on the Golden-Throne. Her casual addressable correction, so simple yet so utterly _empty_ it made him only stare at her as she turned to face him as the Prime Minister above them clapped splendidly at the presence of the woman.

His next sentence made the horror become all the more hellish to Tatsumi when realized that he got outmaneuvered! Outmaneuvered within the gaze of the Emperor himself and for that alone: caused him to be enraged deep within the confines of his soul.

The Saber who once that he knew the the full of weight of the word trapped.

Now he knew why the face of Evil, that creature of a Prime Minister smiled at him and wasn't worried about the way he addressed the Emperor. He knew what was coming before them, so he fucking knew why and the reason was all the more reason to see his life now endangered more than ever. Standing in the presence of death itself, what more danger did a man have to face!

"Excellent news, General Esdeath. The Emperor and I have already _prepared _your long awaited reward and you will have some leisure before the next assignment. I understand if you wish to collect them, right now."

Her next three words made Tatsumi realize something...

"Indeed, I shall."

Tatsumi right then and there, knew the meaning of the word: _trapped..._

The full brunt of it all was with the face of Death herself in the form of the Ice Queen and Strongest General of the Empire: Esdeath.

She turned to him and smiled.

One thought crossed his mind at that second...

"_God help me."_

**End Chapter Five**

**Author's Note:** Take notice Tatsumi never answered the Prime Minister directly at all.

So, was the waiting for Esdeath worth it?

Or are you a bit peeved at the cliff-hanger in that regard?

There's a reason why I kind of prolonged it until the next chapter, it's meant to show that despite all the build up to this point: it's only the beginning. Next chapter, I guarantee you will see a faster pacing in the form of what is too come in the future. If you ever been on a roller-coaster, than that first acceleration to the big drop is the heart wrenching realization when you feel in your blood:** _the rides only begun._**

The conversation with Prime Minister Honest (Note Tatsumi isn't aware of his name yet) and the Colonel, is really a forefront to what their stances are. Honest doesn't consider Tatsumi a threat, due to the fact of Esdeath herself showing up. Now what does this mean, in a tactical stand point? Esdeath is probably the single greatest threat and I'll boldly say this: a_ blessing_ in _disguise_.

Granted, I'm going out on a limb here about that statement and unfortunately for Tatsumi (You as the readers will catch on) as to what this going to do.

Well her presence is what negates any form of worry, about the young Colonel from the Prime Minister's stand point and that's the crucial crutch to a pairing I'm going to enjoy writing about for a bit. How do you try to do what Tatsumi's is attempting to accomplish with an unmovable force blocking him; a force in the form of the Empire's strongest Soldier?

I won't say much, due to the fact there's a bit more to come.

The Three-Beasts, that made their appearances and I hoped to get their characters down to a fairly believable liking. Also I have to comment about their names in the translations: (People call Liver; River {Riva) or what not. I had Sheele's name as Shcele etc) I'm sticking with the names as everyone knows who's who at this point. It's a little nitpick someone pointed to me in a PM and for that, I had to clarify why the names might see _off_ for a few people. Plus FFnet's providing character names just make it straight-forward.

Less someone actually tells me the correct names, I hope you which character is who based on details.

Moving onwards, the AU in this story is technically in place but I just followed the Canon's linear path so that you'll see it branch out in time.

A question asked was of me and it was this, "_How are you able to write something like this 'fic' and still be able, to do more?_"

My response is simple: "_You have **fun** doing this type of hobby, I don't write stories for a living and to be fair, if I did: I'd still write on this site for the fun of it_."

So apart from that, I hope everyone is safe and has a good time wherever they're at.


	7. Chapter VI

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber**

**Chapter Six**

"_Oh my god. So this is General Esdeath? The rumors were true, she's beyond human..."_

Tatsumi couldn't believe the way events were spiraling out of control and it all had begun with the arrival of a General so infamous, her namesake wasn't meant to be humorous. Hell humor wasn't as close to anything that compared to that intent, nothing was funny about this! General Esdeath the woman who was the pinnacle of strength and power amongst all of the Empire. And that literal icon was not even an arm's length away from him _smiling_ when his eyes took in her details.

She seemed to be pleased, less so in the eyes of the Emperor and Prime Minister were quite happy in their own rights.

It took so much control on his part, to not flinch from her piercing blue orbs that equally measured him up to her own matters which terrified him to be honest.

"Now that I have returned to the capital, I can start to deal with Night-Raid. I understand they have become a thorn in your side, my Emperor. I will immediately begin preparations to destroy them utterly and I will not fail in my tasks for you. So rest assured, not one of them will be alive when I'm through with them."

Those were cold words.

Nothing less came from them than an absolute fact that was going to happen.

Truths could be painful but others could be inevitable!

And her promises were of that later category much to his rising heart rate.

After all of this speculation: were did he fit in all of this? Not to mention why in the hell did she keep on staring at him as she spoke.

Her eyes had not once flickered from his own face.

That was something to be really concerned about, in all what had happened...

"Ah! That is good to hear General, but the ten-thousand pieces of gold are awaiting your claims if you so wish to be rewarded upon your victory. I must insist that we reward you further, if I can ask we can."

That staggering sum made Tatsumi's heart stop a beat. A Legion of ten-thousand men could be paid for nearly a full year if done correctly. That amount alone could literally fund a small army at the least and still have enough left over, to buy a village perhaps. That staggering sum really put things into perspective, when strength could literally turn a tide.

Or freeze the tide dead.

Literally.

Withholding an urge to exhale in disbelief, he listened in perhaps understanding where the Emperor was leading this conversation since the Great General Esdeath revealed herself. To be in the presences of both the Emperor and this monster of a woman, the young Imperial could only mentally keep himself from going insane at the idea of it at all.

Surprises were one thing!

But death sentences were another thing in his mind.

She chuckled softly, making the young Colonel next to her shiver at its lack of genuine emotion.

"The amount of money can be used to those men I stationed in the North your majesty. I feel they would benefit from such a task they won on their resolve alone. So payment will be unnecessary, if you so wish of me."

She had her cap removed at this point, quietly awaiting Makoto's answer to her own requests as the child-emperor hummed in thought. He seemed determined to reward her with the means to a new whole kingdom in the way this entire conversation was going and normally, such a thing meant he had great confidence in a subject. However something was amiss here, two powerful forces were at work as they frequently went form each other onto his form and it certainly didn't feel right.

Tatsumi didn't feel this was true.

As the stares of both the Minister and the General were getting to cause his blood pressure to rise immensely.

Emperor willing; he would not fall over from an attack on the said organ pumping his life liquid because of the amount of danger he currently was entrapped with.

"I insist we must reward, the Empire's greatest General with something for her accomplishments. Are you sure there is something we can gift you for your own efforts, General Esdeath?"

The interest aside, the child-emperor seemed very insistent and kind about it as Esdeath herself could only smile.

Her own thoughts mystifying all of those within the Throne-Room about her motives and desires, when her eyes lifted to see the boy next to her flinch subtly. How she longed for this moment, almost a year in the making and already he had prepared her for her desires to come to fruition. Patience held true to those who wanted to get what they required, in order to succeed in their desires.

Oh yes!

She was more than ready to claim her rewards when the time came.

And that reward, was almost at her grasps as the conversations continued.

Her next words sent a startling reveal to the entire room. Almost everyone, even the black armored Imperial Guards were more than frozen in shock at her declaration and revelation. Everyone held that emotion to a degree but the reaction of the boy next to her, made it none as _more thrilling_ to see his face with his Saber attached on his hip.

"I was thinking of falling love, with someone, who has captured my eye for almost a year now. I confess, I was nervous in how too approach this predicament and took my time in order to go about this. So the Prime Minister and I agreed upon a reward, that would not trouble you my Emperor when the time came."

Her explanation came as gentle as a breeze and almost a complete hypnotic tune came to it.

All in all it was as her words seemed to become genuinely emotionally excited.

No one could dispute that attraction in her voice: that _tantalizing_ effect on the soul who caught her fancy.

Makoto looked shocked though the Prime Minister didn't seem as so: he seemed more happier, per say.

"May I wish to know who this person is, I'd like to arrange a marriage between you two if possible. You are at the that age to have a family, plus I could line up suggestions if your endeavor comes up short. Can I ask who, if I may?"

The Child-Emperor stated eagerly, as Esdeath smiled bashfully as if having a moment to conflict on herself to reveal that person.

Even the Prime Minister of all people chuckled openly, as if knowing the secret and the Emperor could only look at him curiously.

His eyes shining for an answer to a mystery whose answer, taunted him playfully at the least and for it was what worth. Eventually Esdeath answered his questioning, almost gently enjoying the attention as her desire came to be close now, almost within her reach: literally...

"My Emperor, the one who claimed my heart is not standing a foot away from me. Tatsumi, unknowingly sent my heart into a frenzy on the day of his promotion, when he proclaimed those words and a promise to you. His smile, was so pure and so _right_ that I did not realize these feelings but to be love, my time away from the Capital has kept those feelings as a burning reminder of my priorities now. It just seems so embarrassing to admit my affection in front of everyone here."

"_How in the fucking deepest parts of hell, did I not notice this woman in that audience?"_

Tatsumi couldn't really form a reason, to interject or just flat out speak up in shock.

The Empire looked to the young Colonel Saber who looked like someone trampled a horse onto his foot, crushing the said limb in the most agonizing way possible and his eyes were completely in shock. Nothing he had seen in his life, could give light or reason to the way the older teen seemed almost in total disbelief. It'd be entertainment expect for the fact, both people held genuine reactions and feelings that it made the Emperor think intently about it all.

Glancing at the window that viewed the horizon of the Imperial-Capital, the Emperor made a decision then to reward the two figures of the Empire's Military! The younger boy on the throne wanted to see if the popularity of the people could be wooed.

Clearing his throat, his next declaration made even the Prime Minister choke on his food from nearly laughing too hard.

"I see it now: the Mighty General Esdeath and her fiancee, the Upcoming Colonel Tatsumi Saber married together to form the family of Imperial strength. I must insist you tell me of the date when the wedding shall be, it'd be my pleasure to organize such a festivity and amount of popularity from the people to see such a union would be utterly amazing. Do not hesitate to inform me, when you two decide upon it General!"

"_Hell no! __Oh no, no, no..."_

His smile wasn't deceitful, nor was he taunting the two of them but merely expecting the answer to be hopeful.

Tatsumi felt his chest feel more painful than any sort of blade could hope to cut into and that was only the beginning.

He just felt like someone placed the noose over his neck and now, he ready to by hung on the gallows that were ready to be dropped.

Trying while forming the courage to speak, Tatsumi gently cleared his throat as the Makoto wanted to hear from the elder teen who was in the center of this conversation.

If he had his way, then the young Colonel would not be in this situation for sure.

His silence had been expected for such the center of the future that the mightiest General was asking for, hoping to achieve in her future and he had to hear what the young 'Saber' thought of such a thing.

He must have had some insight, to such a wonderful relationship.

"Forgive me but such a date may be unwise to assume since neither I nor, General Esdeath respectfully, have not talked with each other at all in our times in your service. Her intentions are _understandable_ but I have no qualities that would make such an event, even worth mentioning. I follow your will, and only wish to serve you. I ask for nothing else, than that My Emperor."

Almost all the souls in the room could hear the uncertainty in the young teen's voice, it was within reason of course but the Emperor merely smiled at the kneeling Imperial Officer. His words were kind, honest and encouraging but to Tatsumi it was the feeling of a whip lashing onto his back, for the worst possible crimes.

His eyes were pleading mentally, trying to convey his uneasiness to the child but it was for naught.

The Minister's gaze had turned into an endless void that knew of victory, once he secured it.

"Colonel Saber, do not be afraid to go into the unknown. I understand you are nervous, to be honest many would be such in your shoes. However I have hope in you, to guide General Esdeath in love. She is just as nervous if not more, confessing to you in front of us and for that, her courage is why I have my confidence in you to try to make the best of this."

That smile, the look of a young boy who wanted to see what he wanted in front of him and all to see the happiness that did not form out of genuine affection. Tatsumi felt his throat tightening, this dilemma wasn't the worst in the Empire to be held at but the unexpected _pressure_ was what made this incredibly hard to maintain. He had no experiences in relationships. None, on this very earth he had suffered and spilled blood upon!

God as his witness, he had done nothing sexual if that was questioned! He never considered to have a family at his age or the lack of familiar notions when it came down to sex, it made him just a virgin. Now which wasn't shameful but it made him anxious. He had no clue! Just none whats so ever in dealing with this type of battle or problems that faced a man in his shoes.

So he was stuck with this fate and it was apparent he couldn't get his way out of it.

Talk about between a rock and a hard place.

This problem in front of him became that metaphors, physical incarnation.

By refusing the Emperor, whereas he stated that 'My will, is yours alone' could be hypocritical and lose favor. The reality there would be his dreams, his ambitions or his 'Hopes' for a better tomorrow would be all but wasted if it failed here. Trying to justify the fear within his soul could only end in one possible answer, to maintain that drive and in order to fulfill those promises to Sayo, Ieyasu and to combat the atrocities of the Empire that committed to their own country-men. The Colonel had to swallow his fear, the fear that made him question his sanity once more.

So Tatsumi had but one answer to this.

Biting the inside of his cheek he had one answer and it all came down to the fact he had been maneuvered into the a dangerous position which didn't just effect him physically. This was a case of being outmaneuvered, politically, metaphorically and now it cost him: his freedom of gathering those who believed in 'Hope' and 'Justice' that the Empire could change into a better tomorrow.

There had to be a way out of this mess but for now, he could only accept his fate.

That crushing weight just made things he had worked for nearly, just nearly become all but wasted.

Wasted in this very throne-room that he swore to maintain to his beliefs.

"_Talk about a sense of irony but this won't stop me. I'll find a way to maintain that 'Hope' and 'Justice' can prevail over this corruption and purge the face of Evil itself. Enjoy your victory, you __**fowl disgusting **__creature but rest assured I will be closer than ever now, Prime Minister. I don't allow Evil to escape from my sight and I will not fail in purging it..."_

A single answer that would test his ability to convince himself, to give out hope, to have faith and to become a stronger soldier for it all this challenge gave.

Dropping the subtle act of ignorance he glared fully at the Prime Minister to acknowledge this stroke of a plan.

And the said face of Evil, merely grinned as if acknowledging the fact.

He would admit he had been beaten back this time around but he wasn't defeated, not by a long shot.

Breaking off eye contact with the root of all the Evil in the Capital, Tatsumi lowered his head to Makoto respectful and submissive to his Emperor's gaze. If he had to prove his strength, to both General Esdeath and the Emperor, so be it: he'd destroy Night-Raid if that had to come down to it and he wouldn't hesitate. No road was easy to travel, his road lead him further beyond what lay to those fighting for the same cause.

"Your will, will be done, my Emperor. I shall do what you ask: for the Glory of the Empire."

The Child-Emperor clapped his hands happily, "Excellent! I hope to hear more from you two, in the future and I must apologize to cut this conversation short, Colonel, General since the Prime Minister and I must deal with the Empire's daily affairs. Perhaps when all is said and done, I shall summon you to my personal chambers to discuss any further matters that need to be addressed. Until then, I have faith in the both of you to face your futures together and to see where it'll take you."

His words were innocent enough to make Tatsumi withhold a tear seeing the kind nature of an Emperor being manipulated into the schemes of a madman who didn't seem to be fazed. His silence wasn't compliance or fear but merely muted entertainment at the spectacle he had fallen into and it just created the lack of any remotely serious. He could understand his place, for the moment.

The Minister considered him to be a muted threat.

A threat, no more than the peasants that screamed for justice to be done if an Imperial Official abuses their powers and all for what?

To accept that fact?

Sighing to himself, he pulled himself from those thoughts.

Both he and Esdeath respectfully acknowledged the dismissal from the Throne Room now.

"Yes my, Emperor."

"As your will, my Emperor."

Rising from his feet Tatsumi placed his beret back onto his head turning an about-face heading towards the door with an unreadable expression on his face.

What could he do now? Where did he stand and how did one dig themselves out of a grave that could bury them in an icy confined? Inhaling to keep his blood moderately hot, anything less to be considered a 'cool-down' would be a mocking insult to the events he had just went through and for all purposes sake, things were only heating up. For now he had to understand what he could and could not do, what could be accomplished and what was impossible to even attempt.

Trying to make a negative aspect into a positive outlook seemed to be his greatest strength at the moment and that was pushing his luck quite extensively.

Without considering the state of the person, who had taken her time to move, Tatsumi just went past the double-doors heading to his quarters.

He needed time to think!

The Colonel stormed his way through the throne room, as a single thought went through his mind.

Just what in the fuck was he supposed to do and remain perfectly calm at that?

Too many problems, way too many were literally going to crush his back before anything remotely good became of it!

Starting with the most blatant question: how he could deal with Esdeath herself?

"_Okay, so I know little about her and most likely, she has an indication of how I am based on the possibilities of my orders returning to the Capital pertained too. I've been set-up, its been a year in the works and now, I'm paying the piper for the fee in allowing him to play. This is just getting dangerous now..."_

By-passing several of the black armored Imperial-Guards, who looked stunned at his blatant disregard for brushing them off was one thing but a few had immediately gasped when he was out of sight.

Ignoring their reactions since he didn't care for their existences for that matter, as a more pressing matter came to mind.

General Esdeath.

Or more precisely, her involvement with his life now.

Inhaling deeply, he moved quick enough to remember the direction of his quarters in the section of the Imperial Palace that gave him solace, he needed some space to reevaluate his options. Clenching his fists, to crack several of his knuckles in order to keep his sight trained in front of him and soon found himself in the same dining hall he had been with the 'Three-Beasts' which were off doing who knew what.

Already to much had happened to be concerned with them at this moment, without a level-head and plan, it'd be a waste of effort to maintain a vigil over their actions.

His heart rate kept increasing, as adrenaline and frustrations boiled over once he found the door to his room.

Slamming it open and nearly crushing the door into pieces of splinters, did Tatsumi finally speak to himself summarizing his emotions that were being brought to the light.

This morning sun with the skies that were of red meant an omen of ill had arisen.

"_A fitting scenery for my morning, this fucking really is insane."_

He fell onto the bed, large enough to support his sprawled out frame completely making him close his eyes.

Morning sunrises aside, already he felt drained in dealing with the stress forced onto him today and it just would get worse, for his sanity's sake he prayed that it'd take time for the woman to make a move onto him. His heart witnessed her eyes, peering into him and ravishing his own body with that look. Gripping his forehead, the young Colonel just felt he had stepped into the Tiger Danger-Beasts layer with just a rock and had succeed to grab its attention as amusing prey item.

The day started young and before long, it'd be an old bad memory that deserved nothing less.

Exhaling loudly, Tatsumi could only mentally resign himself to this nightmare that came onto him.

What exactly did he know about Esdeath?

Very little at the best.

What were her accomplishments or beliefs for that line of thought? Very few positive things about that woman, ever got in the same sentence as opposed to 'no' positive notes and her personality was a mystery. Apart from being a cold, indifference of a General and thrived on the field of battle, the mystery of that blue-haired alluring demon lingered on in his mind with his heart beating slower again finally.

Her blue orbs they held emotions that got his heart to race.

He felt _something __**stalk**_ him for a better lack of a word and that was with the Emperor's gaze trained on them!

If she were like that in a contained environment, then what would be do to him in private?

And the answers terrified him close to pissing himself...

Covering his face, the boy who wasn't truly a boy could only come to terms with what the situation he had been forced into. More so this was the brute forced situation, but he had resigned himself into it because there was no alternatives at this moment. Two options were presented and he took the lesser of two evils, to be done with it to give him this predicament.

Nothing more would be said, Tatsumi rationalized to the point where his own head ached from the intensity so early in the morning and knew he that if he lost his resolve here.

Then all the deaths of those at his hands, his friends, their hopes and faith in him would be wasted.

"What else is going to happen now?"

The young mentally exhausted Colonel spoke this aloud, doing what he could to handle this day's revelations. Closing his eyes in order to ease his growing headache, he expected a quiet morning for the rest of the time he was here but something made his senses prickle in warning.

Opening his eyes within a matter of moments, he looked up to see something that made him freeze in sheer absolute terror and the shock of it all didn't cease the beads of sweat going down his neck.

His heart caught in mid breathe and the blood in his veins, froze within a matter of a second...

"The fun, mainly."

A three worded answer, that caused him to bolt upwards to see the owner of those words.

General Esdeath stood in his room, going through his parcel that was on the wooden desk when he read the book of listed Teigu's within the Imperial Country. Her hands careful, eyes somewhat diligently ignoring his reactions as her eyes scanned the wooden idol from his home village, as well as seeing the cover of the book that Najenda gave him as a gift to which her sight lingered on it.

Her rapier still clipped at her side, as her uniform gave her body an appealing sight as the sight caught the underside of her face making nearly creating an artificial beauty that caused Tatsumi's body to rush blood into places that previously froze.

This wasn't happening!

No it couldn't be happening and the Emperor had sent her as a practical joke to make him feel less inclined to respect that decision.

"_Why? Just why is she here?"_

But his nerves flared to life as he felt a mix between protocol or an informal outburst at her trespass into his private quarters!

Hell intent on seeking shelter from her whims.

His mind raged within a split second before settling on both, as he bit out a respectful tone that hinted nothing of that intent. She still was flipping through his parcel, ignoring a few choice personal items like a small black book that was his journal that had ended once he left the 'Imperial-Sabers' and thankfully didn't use when encountering Night-Raid or spent the time amongst them.

Still that particularly neglectful habit saved probably their skins less so, that his own at this time.

"General Esdeath, why are you inside my quarters? This is really unexpected and a breach of privacy, if you aware of such protocols when one is not allowed inside a room..."

Hit bit out formally struggling to kept the irritation out of his tone as the woman idly went through his small journal without a hint of regret nor shame. Her eyes scanning the pages at times boredom or once in a great while, she'd smirk at some detail or two. She didn't acknowledge his accusations and her own status, as she left a hand on her rapier-blade while reading the small piece of personal literature.

Her gaze flickered briefly to the wooden idol, as if trying to solve a puzzle that caught her notice.

As words seemingly flew into her mind, deciphering the texts within and Tatsumi knew in his heart that: his perspectives possibly earn General Esdeath's suspicions about his 'views' for the Empire.

"These are some very nice stories, '_Villages burning with the flames of blood, orange mix of a danger-beasts eyes who has nothing but mindless insanity and the smoke, so thick it clogs my soul. I see the eyes of the dead, torn as the nerves hang like threads.' _I'm impressed, few can capture the actual details in a profound manner and to answer your question from earlier..."

The young Colonel wished her eyes didn't positively glow as her smile aimed at him directly.

Those two endless orbs of ice, that just made the blood freeze in his neck when she patronized him, tenderly if he dared to make that bold statement. Almost with a panicked sense he tried to look to the window to possibility throw himself out of it! All in order to maintain his sanity or the lack of freedom to escape this woman's gaze.

If she witnessed him viewing the window, she had no qualms while explaining his questions.

"Couples have no such boundaries, Tatsumi and privacy is a fickle thing when we _sleep_ together in the same room of course."

Making her ways towards the bed, the young man back peddled against the wall!

Just feeling his back press up against it as his nostrils flared in warning at her proximity.

Tremors racked his body, as Esdeath sat down on the side of him, crossing her legs while absently reading his journal and occasionally raising an eyebrow impressed by some details.

Again Tatsumi felt that penetrating gaze glance over him!

She was gauging him, sizing up him, _undressing_ his body before her bare and for the life of him he could see something terrifying.

It was that, those feelings weren't faked at all.

"Sleeping in the same room? General, please with respect: nothing was stated that I had to adhere to this _surprise._ I hardly know you, hell beyond that we have never even remotely seen each other as far as I'm concerned and to actively be sleeping with a superior is punishable by..."

His voice cracked his resolve in whether to confront this head up or perhaps appeal to the protocols to somehow cease her eyes staring into his own. His very limbs went to his Saber as Esdeath closed his highly detailed journal. The woman casually flipping it, skillfully to land in a perfect vertical position next to his wooden idol: in the same exact spot no less and that alone scared him fluently!

What in the hell was this woman, to literally calculate a precise throw?

"Superior? Oh, no, no that is not the case here Tatsumi. You have far more _value_ to me as something beyond what in your status could ever hope to offer. Do you want to know..."

She leaned forward with her lips at his left ear.

One of her limbs trapped his over the handle his Saber, crushing it with an ungodly like strength that made him wince.

"...why I'm saying this? Are you _interested_, to know about me?"

He focused on her finishing question which could give him answers.

Several beads of sweat went down his back now, his gaze peering into the tendering icy orbs that held more death alone than his own hands. This person had stained themselves in an ocean of blood and apart of him dared to think this situation thrilling enough to find those answers.

Throat tightening, the young Colonel just croaked out a response to make the older woman only breathe a cold tingle onto his ear lobe that sent shivers down his spine.

Shivers that weren't fearful of the cold, but of what this General's intentions were.

"Yes."

Esdeath giggled at his hesitance, making his body go numb from the presence her own flooded the room with: that _playful_ sense of _malice_ and _utter _**satisfaction **of reaching a goal one claimed within their lives to be the heart of their existence. His eyes darted away as he leaned his face towards the wall, intent on keep as much distance as humanely possible and within the confines of his chest, his heart had galloped beyond the speed of sound it seemed.

"_I...I can't deal with this, if I look down I see something that will terrifying me beyond anything possible and I'd enjoy it. I look into her eyes, to see the massive wall of lives damning me for even considering this state of mind and the power, this cold frigid sense of certainty is unalterable. What in the hell is this woman, a demon?"_

Closing both eyes with him trembling the Ice-Queen reached out to pat his cheek, soothing him as she voiced echoed into his ears.

Slowly churning the terror that gripped his heart and that tore at his very, being in order to have him realize the full extent of dangers that would be lurking on every answer he considered now.

"That day, one year ago when you proclaimed those words, 'Loyalty unto Death', I instantly felt a pull towards you as your gaze swept over the entire audience _daring_ them to question your vows. I could not understand these feelings to cause my chest to ache, my heart caught in a run and the more _pleasant _effects came to light once you: smiled..."

Tatsumi's eyes opened wide as he looked at her in horror, akin to more of horrifying curiosity.

"You weren't there, I did not notice your presence at all..."

Esdeath's own face came to within inches of his jawline as her nose inhaled his scent almost _hauntingly_ as an expression of bliss race onto her features. No traces of blood rushing beneath her pale skin could be seen, but the workings of a flushed face came to bear fruit when her hand trailed up his sword arm teasing with an occasional twirling motion.

His body couldn't settle with being insanely excited or absolutely terrified beyond reason!

Desperately enough, Tatsumi looked to the far wall ignoring the hitch in breathing from the blue-haired beauty.

"To be honest, I got bored of when people talked and a certain old geezer pointed you out to my eyes. He only had to say, '_Watch that boy, for he's a sleeping tide ready to arise...'_ and that got my interest peaked, so when you said the most shortest vow ever with the tenacity of a General it made my heart race. Your smile, it was so _pure, _so _right, _so _happy _and so _handsome _that my heart couldn't stop beating when I thought of you. Over a year I harbored those feelings, studying you, watching you and ultimately falling for you from afar and no more, will I resist these feelings of love..."

The Ice-Queen's face dipped against his chest, hearing his heart beat as warmth fled into her own body as she couldn't contain a small moan of aching need.

Tatsumi's body stopped shaking out of forced state of tension.

All the while her explanations weren't insane nor were they even remotely disturbing.

In other words: this was terrifying beyond anything!

Normally maidens held those thoughts for great heroes of old or famous individuals that brought victory to those within the Empire but this was General Esdeath: _the_ strongest of the Empire and the Queen of Ice.

So how?

Trying to make sense of her reasoning gave way to a validation of a woman who hadn't experienced the softer side of a person, he was in the same boat and could otherworldly imagine what it felt like to be loved. His heart had been so full of grief and taking on the mantle of responsibility for the fate of all the Empire's Citizens who had deprived of 'Hope' and 'Justice' for so long, that he didn't realize the full extent of his ability to speak to those who wished to listen to him.

He had caught the eye of the most dangerous person who could easily destroy that dream without a thought.

"Thank you, I guess."

Speaking hesitantly when he slowly brought his hand, brushing the fabric of the woman's arm who shifted to see his actions. Almost with a tenderly yet absolute touch, her hand gripped his feeling the warmth flow through the veins underneath, to rest it against her cheek as the young Colonel could only support the woman's leaning position onto his person.

Blinking owlishly his other hand came around to place itself onto her back, just to keep from making him fall over onto the bed's surface and possibly, give her the wrong idea in order to support his posture. Despite the forced nature of this situation quickly thrust upon the higher powers of the Empire and what not, Tatsumi realized something extremely truly shocking about this woman...

Esdeath felt _complete _and _happy_ that her muscle tone, relaxed into his grip making him feel the certainty of her gender pressing onto him.

But did this make her weak?

He knew in his mind not a single truth of that question was to be answered and for that alone he had to ask why came of them in the future since he knew!

Esdeath was here to hunt down Night-Raid and they were within her sight to be destroyed.

Which meant they had to follow up on their deal, to cleanse the Capital of Evil and purge it, immediately.

"What does this mean, General? Am I reporting directly under you now and what do you intent to do to me now that your _reward_ has been collected."

Withholding an urge to bite out that word, he felt the woman release herself from him staring at him intently enough to make him choose questions more carefully in the future. In fact, it seemed wise enough to not anger the blue-haired beauty who could for all intensive purposes freeze his body and smash it into, a million pieces of frozen meats.

Waiting with the last vestiges of his discipline did the young Colonel weather the frigid calculative gaze of a woman who had thrived on the battle-field for so many years.

She promptly smiled standing up with her hand on her rapier-blade and Tatsumi could appreciate the quality of it as well, since his Saber held similar properties.

"Don't be silly, you're going to be my lover Tatsumi. My _equal, _my better-half that I have sought for so long and you will become _stronger than anything_ possibly conceived with my tutelage. I'll admit you have the _basics_ of walking the path towards a General, but when I'm done with you..."

Tapping her foot while in thought, as she looked over at the window seeing the full rays of the sunrise hitting her.

The light reflected off her pupils to give them an appearance of wild sinister beauty that caught the breathe in his throat and for once, he felt the need to understand what his own body had displayed. She seemed so genuine yet empty at the same time. Her face a mockery of a maiden in love but _something_ was there in her eyes and he'd be damned to see what the hell it could be.

Swallowing the saliva building up within his mouth, the young Colonel got onto his feet to adjust himself while Esdeath found herself in ponderous bliss.

"So that means formality will be _lessened_ General?"

The honest question made her smile, for what reason he knew not.

So she leaned forward as he kept his gaze on eyes and not her _assets_ that were slightly ajar in her jacket to make him feel uneasy.

"There will be none, when we are alone or as such. Of course we must keep up appearances in front of those like the Minister and the good Emperor himself, but beyond that you and I will be like any couple my dear Tatsumi."

Resisting the urge to sigh heavily, the young Colonel could only warily agree since technically he had been transferred and placed under General Esdeath for his remaining tenure for god knows how long. He could only hold firm in the face of someone who was literally, the complete opposite of what he assumed to be the ideal Imperial icon to use for the masses.

He had literally nothing!

So to go with her would be for his sake and the young Colonel had to be very careful. At least when probing about her own achievements as an Officer of the Empire. Despite the uneasiness he held, there had to be some perks to this or something he could use to make his dreams come forth into a reality that would make the Empire a better tomorrow.

So deep within his chest a flutter of hope could be felt if he could _help_ Esdeath in some way to make her emotions truly genuine. Just to ignore that conception of a face that wasn't real and the rid that fake mask she wore in place. He'd put himself in harms way, just all in order to achieve his dreams of 'Hope' and 'Justice' alone.

The entirety of this task seemed impossible but he had to have faith that Emperor agreed to this for some sort of Hope.

For if there wasn't hope, there wasn't faith to see a better tomorrow for those underneath the Empire.

"I suppose we should probably, agree to a spar. I'm aware of how powerful you could be and it, would be easier for us to converse if you have any lessons planed. General Esdeath."

Her smile didn't waver as she tapped his lips condescendingly and her first lessons, or threats came to fully crush Tatsumi as he realized the true depth of her patience.

"Not General Esdeath, Tatsumi. First lesson, no formality between us in private or I'll chain you to the bed in quarters for an entire day, while whipping you until you learn this lesson right. Understood?"

Wagging her finger almost one did to a spouse who did something a bit unexpected and not in a good way.

Her eyes promised the pain of such a punishment and Tatsumi, again had to swallow the fear built up within his throat her smile, it froze his blood once more. Shivers crawled up his spine, as a mix of fear and curiosity got the better of him in this moment. She seemed so, casual about it and that alone made him wonder if this woman was truly...

Sane?

In what little possibilities that were available.

"Yes, Esdeath. But is the whipping promise, necessary?"

Perhaps he had a death wish, but for the sake of his own horrors why was interested in that? Her response made him raise an eyebrow in disbelief but he understood, the truth in that tone of hers. This had to be an awkward start to whatever, a relationship could ever kick off on and in the future he hoped his sanity was intact.

"Oh yes, I love when the crack of a whip splits flesh and how the pain just makes me so, fully delighted that I can't help myself. Are you interested in such things, because we'd be an even better match to have those hobbies."

"_Holy shit and the Blessed Mother of the Emperor, I don't believe it: she's serious about the whip! Even worse, she's a masochist? Wait, does that mean she's a fucking sadist? How in the hell, did I ever get her interest and I need time to process this..."_

The hopeful look in her eyes merely made him wince, she was being quite honest about the hobby part.

It also provided an insight for him to know that she loved to torture those under her authority or what not.

So that made him pity whatever souls were destroyed by her tenacity.

The full effect of her admission, just made things a bit more tense for him to get used too.

Uncertainty came to nest into his mind, this woman was either to be very strange, very dangerous or just both for the hell of it as he tried to understand what this truly meant.

"No I'm not and most likely, will never. May I at least bring my belongings since I guess I will not being staying in my quarters no longer?"

Esdeath only pouted a bit down ridden, he knew it to be a face as she spun about on her foot, "Of course, you'll be in my chambers or, _our_ chambers now honestly. Follow me to outside Tatsumi, we're going to have a practical lesson on where you stand against me and I'll have to plan accordingly to what I must do in order you to reach the level that I desire to get you too."

She moved to the doorway, leaving Tatsumi to collect his meager belongings.

Slipping the journal of his, along with the wooden idol and the Teigu book that Najenda gave him, he kept his calm exterior just barely. Not wishing to test the patience of the the woman, he maintained a quick pace of getting belongings all set before moving to stand with the blue haired beauty that, waited only for a moment as they walked down the hallway leading into the dining hall.

Not a soul was there, none of the servants nor the enigmatic 'Three-Beasts' that were under the command of Esdeath herself, for that put his mind into a fury of panic.

Where in the hell did that monstrosity of a midget, Nyau or that old fossil Liver go?

And without his own gaze upon them, he feared for those not able to defend themselves.

Those three held no qualms in killing the innocent bystanders, if they were out doing their jobs.

"_I can't think about that, for now. Got to deal with Esdeath and see through this day."_

Moving at her side, the Ice-Queen's gaze hadn't as so much flickered towards him for more man several minutes only to study any guard that passed by them patrolling the Imperial-Palace's halls. The intensity of her gaze wasn't so much unyielding but merely passionately. Either way that got his body to break out in a cold sweat as he felt the very air freeze whenever they were alone.

The sheer intake of coldness of the frozen air caused him to breathe out heated fog! So did that make Esdeath more prone to escalating the capacity of him to handle the dropping temperatures? To control air? He wasn't aware of her abilities, with rumors merely drifting into his region as a commander of his legion in the western territories.

This got him theorizing her abilities or rather what in the fuck her Teigu could even control for that matter.

Did her ability command air stand out?

Controlling that type of element would next to unreal in his mind, the vast space of the skies to use the volume of air to push an adversary away or the be able to slice them like winds of a hurricane that came off the oceans. Air could kill, the lack of it and the sheer amounts needed to crush a man wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for a Teigu to enforce its user with. Tatsumi distantly recalled inside the Book that listed all the Teigus that could control any sort of Element, at least from the top of his head.

The list had been surprisingly short, listed down into four or five at the most during his time researching the book itself, so the matter of eliminating the choices would be based on whether the Teigu was in plain sight.

Did her rapier form the core of her teigu or did it conceal itself?

Just like that 'Spectator' did on Zank during the the hypnotic illusions?

Glancing over at the woman, whose hands were behind her back as she hummed a small tune to herself and to Tatsumi, it sounded almost mystical in nature. Almost similar to the old woodsmen who were enlisted with him before he ever came an Officer of the Empire. Trying to place something akin to a description of her humming, it only made the interest in her origins come to life in order to understand in what he was dealing with now.

His gaze occasionally broke off to figure out a random detail that seemed off about her appearance but beyond that as a minor issue.

Her eyes were almost content with him walking at her side down the grand-stairs leading to the base of the Imperial Palace.

"_What Teigu does she have? If I remember, there was one called 'Shield-Storm', the ability to use gusts of wind or such to slice an opponent like a blade and there were details about its ability to manipulate the weather with it. It'd be possible to take the warmth from the air, with the lack of a sun indoors but this was too subtle, it was too quick and by the time I realized it: I'm inhaling ice itself." _

Several theories floated around his head, the most obvious would be the Ice-Demon but again he had little clue as to where it'd be marked on her body for that matter. It had to be in the base of that Rapier-blade of hers, nothing suggested anything less as he tried to understand the enigma walking not a foot away from his very presence.

Such an uneasy predicament that Tatsumi practically felt like smashing his head against the pommel of his Saber to be granted a clue and what's more nerve-wracking, he had to be at this person's side.

Looking at the woman who stared at him smiling simply enough while placing a finger against her mouth in 'shush' motion gave light to her intelligence of his own actions.

She knew he _thought_ about her teigu, to an extent at the least.

"_I swear, if she has something close to 'Spectator' like Zank did and she knows what I'm thinking, then I've signed my death warrant now. Emperor protect me, because I feel like I've just been mentally raped and her eyes are doing the physical part of such a notion. I can only hope that this isn't the case, or else I'm going to end up flayed alive somewhere..."_

Imperial-Guards within the Palace, moved out of their way once they stepped at the base of the building itself and seeing the open grounds used for training purposes stand before them. The lack of bodies on the patch of dirt used for drills or what not, made the young Colonel's opinion of them drop ever so slightly to the point of blatant disappointment.

Did the complacency of such people merely reflect the state of the Imperial Capitals, as a sickness had them weakened or were they that arrogant to not train within the morning arms of the sun itself?

He couldn't help but shake his head, when did the decline of such a state of arms start?

A year ago? Or when the old Emperor died from whatever means that got his Emperor on the Golden-Throne on this very day? Questionings brewed violently, some were more pressing than others and for what it mean to him. Results were that he had to make progress soon or risk gong insane from the corruptions still engrained into the capital.

What could be the next step?

Using Assassins and himself as a means to eliminate the more entombed Evil but at what cost? He'd played with fire initially by eliminating corruption but like all fires, eventually the user got burned if they had gotten to complacent with their skills. Consistency would be the next stage of seeing the change that he so desired for the Empire to be filled with 'Hope' and 'Justice' against that it made him falter in a step as Esdeath noticed this while his face was deep in thoughts.

He didn't notice her stop until she spoke up hauntingly amused and quite eager to hear an answer.

"What's got you so deep in thought to ignore me, Tatsumi? Are you perhaps wondering about whether you can confidently disregard the Strongest Within the Empire? Hmm?"

Those questions made him hiss a silent curse as he should have taken account that his silence could be mistaken for something other than cautionary. Inhaling a deep gulp of warm air from the morning, he turned around to see General Esdeath with a hand on her Rapier-blade.

Her posture steady and firm like steel itself, at the helm to take him on within the training grounds of the Imperial-Palace.

Gathering his full fortitude to face this Goliath of a Danger-Beast, Tatsumi removed his slung parcel to the side making sure it was well out of the range that this 'spar' would entitle.

The time to face the dragon of all dragons had made him awkwardly prepare his Saber, as it shifted into a readied position.

And the eyes of a woman, who was more beast than human could only smile brightly.

He wasn't looking forward to this: not even if Hell's fire were to be granting him a weapon...

"I'm more concerned about whether I can even remotely stand on ground with you, Esdeath. I'll promise you that, but I won't admit to being a prideful, arrogant fool who doesn't understand: he has little chance to win. Call me a coward or a spineless soldier but in the end the calmer head always prevails in battle. So I'm apologizing for ignoring you but you must understand that, I'm afraid."

Always being honest had always been his strongest suite.

It got the problems at hand or answers to be addressed within an immediate time frame.

In this case, it made Esdeath bring a hand to her face in order to hide the growing chuckle her body inadvertently created because of his admission to such a fate, calmly.

While it seemed to be a disappointment for him to admit to defeat to her without trying to defend his skills: he was ultimately doing the right thing.

He'd admired to not being able to win, but he just promised he would hold his ground against her despite the vast gap in power she commanded. His eyes weren't lying nor were they alive with an ignorance that often killed the said users who held such thing in their visions. Tatsumi 'Saber' displayed the fortitude, the honesty and the will to stand against her before the first strike of their blades would ever connect.

The General could only smile to herself, once she was finished with him and what not, her dream of having an equal would only be met with the fires of passion they would share within the confines of a bed-room.

The image made her giggly for a better lack of a word and that it made her soon to be lover flinch at her look.

Bringing her blade into the center of her eyes, it directly split the image of him seeing her reflect her own face into three places onto the Rapier-blade when she grinned sinisterly at her beliefs.

"Then you know you are _weak _and that in order for you to survive, you must become strong. For only the Strong Live and the Weak perish, their lives are _meaningless_ if they cannot **fight** against the Strong. Always remember this Tatsumi: 'The Strong always live and the weak, will always die'..."

Her tone frigid, unyielding, rightly justified and her eyes were as icy a person could get.

Nothing could prepare him for her change in attitude as a bone numbing chill crossed his face making the very air a blizzard in hindsight.

However her words struck a cold pain within his heart, something that reminded him of a similar event early in his career as a soldier.

"No."

That one word made Esdeath's grin ever grow larger, she already knew to an ideal he would say for that. She'd break him, to adore her, to love her, to know her and to understand what her eyes witnessed for the world to see on the fields of war. Strong powers endured, weak enemies were crushed and nothing could be done about it: it was life itself.

"The Strong do not always live, the Weak do not always die. It is the Strong that can become Weak, for if the Weak are given a _choice_ and a _chance_ they become the very Strong that watch over them. Lives are not meaningless, for what would be the right to live at all then?"

Tatsumi's eye felt the heat of the flames that scarred his very being, the thousands he had killed under the orders of the Empire, under the fact of Evil that which plagued the Emperor's gaze and he must take a stand against such a disgusting creature of a Minister to be destroyed.

He wouldn't falter against this woman, the pinnacle of power itself or not! He knew in his mind, Esdeath was _**not** _a goddess made incarnate. He would prevail when the time came, as 'Hope' and 'Justice' did not die yet from this world. He would fight for the many, that were denied the lives that were given to them and for that atoning penance: his eyes burned with a rage so potent that Esdeath herself, only egged it onwards...

"The right to live is _nothing_ an illusion of control Tatsumi, nothing more and nothing_ less_."

The Colonel stood before his General, facing down the proverbial giant that he had to overcome in order to see the dreams that burned into his heart and mind, to come true for all to benefit. Anything less his soul could be damned into hell, where the sins of his actions in the past would eat him alive and not a single penance of the Emperor could forgive him.

"Every life has a choice, everyone has a right to become Strong or Weak. They have a _choice _to be made, Esdeath and to live for nothing: is the greatest illusion for one _who _has control..."

The woman laughed, clearly enjoying the banter of words and idealism's that could be heard from those that were within ear-shot of them about to duel.

In fact their presences had drawn a small number of Imperial Guards in their blackened armor create a loose semi circle at the head of the barren training grounds to watch this soon to be battle that they would spread the accounts to any who wished to hear of it. The tension and preparation only got stronger, as the pinnacle of Imperial military mights prepared to face off.

Neither of the two Imperial Officers in the center of the grounds did not even acknowledge their presences as the two locked eyes and the battle of wills had just begin into the rising sun's gaze as it washed over them.

Both of their blades, glinting in the morning light.

"I'll be the one standing at the end Tatsumi. Just don't forget every battle is just a means for the weak to _choose_ how they perish and for the strong, to choose to live..."

No words were spoken from the young Colonel who twitched at the spiraled views of his own, so narrowing his gaze he drew his Saber getting into a lose position.

He lifted the weapon easily setting it in between his free limb so that the point nestled between his thumb and index finger and raising his dominant arm to make it angled downward.

He couldn't hold back here!

Or even remotely, fight passively as the blue-haired beauty held her position with the Rapier in the solid defense that made his heart pound in stipulated terror.

There wasn't any means to get past her block, her form was solid and infinitely perfect against his style of combat!

"_She did say, she was watching me from afar."_

The reality was that she knew of his fighting styles, his every movement and had gotten reports of what did he fought like.

The spying certainly paid off and the accounts of how he fought in order to get his own prowess, over an enemy.

And she too superseded his abilities, with her own.

This wasn't just a duel.

It was a clash of two people on different ends of the spectrum and only one would be able to stand without hesitation against the opposite mirror.

In the end, he could only go on the offensive and pray to the Emperor himself to maintain a practical mindset.

"_Lets find out, how far I must go!"_

A single pair of birds flew past the field.

As Esdeath watched them for a split second and that was the signal...

Tatsumi dashed with all his might, gauging as he came within inches of cutting General Esdeath's face who merely deflected the Sabers strike from her head, the woman hadn't even loosened her grin and it only became more genuine as the fight would go on.

He veered around trying to use the momentum to slash at her heeled legs, which casually lifted themselves to avoid the Colonel's arced strike. Struggling to maintain his discipline, he crouched down and tried to sweep out her legs within a minute of finding his Saber back at his side.

The woman merely flipped herself over his head, using her free hand to keep her cap from falling down due to gravity alone.

Sprinting after the General, he struck at her side as she landed and her Rapier caught his strike dead center, as he winced trying to push against the still grinning face of the woman. Her chest hadn't even sped up as the markings that he hadn't noticed on her skin, kept calm and hadn't changed in rhythm. She wasn't even remotely strained to block his strikes!

"_Unreal."_

Grunting he continued his assault using all he could to just _press her_ away from her own passive defensive stances as time and time again: his Saber got forced into a different direction from his intended target...

Panting as he spear headed a charge to get inside her grip, but the General merely bent herself at an angle that he overshot leaving his flank exposed.

Her eyes gleamed in delight as she brought the Rapier into a side-slicing motion which Tatsumi's eyes widened in shock!

Time seemed to slow as his heart beat into his ears, the sharpened edges of that weapon came to within inches of his face before he pulled out the crutch to get out of such a situation.

"_I went too far!"_

His short sword came out in a reversed in grip blocked the strike as he got sent flying backwards from the blow itself.

Trying to stand from the solid counter-strike was like trying to move with weights tied to his limbs. Tatsumi exhaled loudly as sweat dripped down his face from the amount of force he had to contend with. What in the hell was this woman made of? Fucking steel and magics? His mind started to play the information he knew over and over again, there had to be a way!

He had to find a way to disarm that sword if that was her teigu!

If he couldn't beat her head on than perhaps the answer wasn't in being offensive, but maybe he had to...

Esdeath voiced out some observations against him.

"Decent speed, a good form and solid sound judgment, Tatsumi."

The Colonel sprinted again testing a theory that had formed in his eyes, so he maintained the illusion of being one-minded enough to be gloated as Esdeath kept talking. Surprisingly that worked, a little too well as her laughter echoed in his ears after failed strikes continuously hounded onto her body like, sharks smelling blood in the water. Tatsumi ignored this testing out theories that were forming, as his eyes picked on the body movement of the General's ability to parry strikes.

Using both weaponry he slashed vertically and horizontal simultaneously to make the woman at least move her body.

That worked as she absently parried certain blows that would have sent lesser soldiers to the dirt but to her, it wasn't the same.

Her enhanced teigu body made have a natural edge in the five senses and physical body, anyone without a compatible teigu couldn't win against a skilled user.

They could hold their ground for a time but in the end: they would fall through the compliance of the one they were fighting.

Ultimately the young Colonel had made an admirable attempt to gain any leverage over her passive position and so which, it'd be a fun time to brush up on her ability to dodge.

She had been intently dissecting his ability to take control of the practice fight.

"In theory you can best many opponents with a few well ended strikes, possibly fatally ending their lives if you got the basis for their movements. However, what you lack is the brute _strength_ to follow-up on your initial strike with that Saber of yours. Inability to predict my movements mean you are complacent when facing Teigu users altogether..."

Again she slammed her Rapier into his Saber, which sent the younger boy flying back a good twenty or so feet as he remained standing much to her silent praise. His legs looked ready to fall as his shoulders slumped over to see him struggling to breathe enough to get his body under control.

Normally she'd be bored about a fighter in her Tatsumi's position, but the most interesting thing she loved about this.

It wasn't the fact he was _holding his ground_ but more, it was the emotion of dominance that coursed into her veins when she stared right into the view soul of her lover.

His eyes were the windows to the soul, they were bright, those two green emeralds of fire, that were shining with unyielding willpower, he was so close and so full of defiance that it made her sigh out in bliss as her heart beat painfully harder...

"For someone without a Teigu it is truly and honestly remarkable to hold your own against me, but I wonder how long you can stand before going your knees? Let's find out, shall we?"

Her smile was back almost faker than any person could not hide the glee in their tones. Warily he summoned his body to get into a defensive stance, this was going to hurt so much. Esdeath casually cracked her neck to make him flinch, he should have tried to disarm her when he had the chance to do it but for now.

Tatsumi was ready to experience the pain in getting beat down...

Or so he thought.

Esdeath just smiled, nearly sadistically and that was the last thing he noticed.

The first blow sent him skidding back again, as her blade clashed against the both of his own. The sparks creating a small ghoulish light on her face, the straining of metal crushing metal. Tatsumi yelped as he felt something crash into the side of his arms as he witnessed her free hand crushing his forearm that held his Saber.

Bones fractured as he snarled out angrily, pushing her back a few feet trying to maintain an offensive stance against her own increased aggression.

Every attempt became an effort to survive the next strike, blow after blow slammed against him.

Esdeath appeared behind him as he bent back onto his knee, nearly touching the ground to avoid a thrust that would have skewered his abdomen, his heart beating faster than any battleground he had experienced in the Imperial-Sabers, the young Colonel whirled around back handing the Rapier which got inside his guard. His feet had moved inwards, for a slight moment to get the woman to pause briefly.

Tatsumi narrowed his sight, "_There's a blind spot! Lets see if I can do that again! I know I can't cut her: so I'm going to crush her nose in at the least and I can probably go down in a bang."_

Moving away he shoulder rolled away from a slash on the ground take destroyed a circumference of three feet of earth, the indent of invisible forces revealed to the younger Imperial Officer. It made him cringe knowing his body was absorbing those insane amounts of stress! Physically Tatsumi knew that his frame was weak and it had moved to its peak conditions but only for so long.

He had stamina, but Esdeath hed all the strengths that made one a monster and for good reason.

Without a Teigu, he was just human.

A human...

His opponent had stepped herself up as the blade nothing more than a flash of white.

Side stepping a strike to his ankles, Tatsumi kept his body calmer than anything he had ever put into on the field of battle and he saw the image of the General easily, flipping her blade to the side with her hand.

Carefully waiting, the woman flipped her wrist as the Colonel knew that his chance when he saw it and didn't hesitate: at all...

"_Let's see what happens you have no weapon, Esdeath! I'm not going down without at least making my mark!"_

As Esdeath came within a foot of him, Tatsumi _stepped inside_ the blade's swing making the woman widen her in eyes at the sudden daring move.

He dropped his short sword from his childhood while locking the Blue-haired Ice-Queen's arm next to his side as her body slammed into his making her stumble for a split moment.

And then...

He struck!

Struck twice at the elder Officer's face.

He slammed the back of his elbow twice into her face, each hit thundering in his ear as sweat dripped into his face and it caused him to see an expression of _anger_ ripple into her face. It made him paralyzed as the Colonel felt nothing but a floating sensation before being slammed into the ground by a shoulder throw from the woman who stared down at him with an expression that a monster could only give out.

Her eyes were filled with the initial _shock_, than that inhumane _anger_ and that _utter delight_ at when made contact against her!

Tatsumi struggled to get up from his position but something stopped him immediately...

"_DAMN IT!"_

Instantaneous crushing agony, where it hurt to breathe...

All of the voices of the damned came forth, as his ability to stay amongst the living struggled...

"_Murderer."_

"_Another fucking demon, you are!"_

"_Betrayer."_

Her heeled foot slammed into his chest causing him to scream and cough up blood!

It stained his face with the life-liquid from his own veins. It felt like a mountain had crushed his chest as just breathing seemed so insanely difficult that he fell back against the dirt! He seemed to be panting no, the Colonel was wheezing in agony as the woman picked up her Rapier-blade on the side of his downed form. Her face a mix of emotions for a moment, before settling down as he watched her.

His fingers numb and just flat out unresponsive to his nerve endings...

And it made the Saber roll onto the dirt with a small 'clank' that brought the attention of the said person who was dueling its owner.

Tatsumi could only stare at her, grinning weakly with blood leaking down from his lips since he found an _opportunity _to fight with the woman and just to be able to hit her twice was enough for him to exhale deeply.

"...I told you...I'd bring a piece of you down..."

God almighty and the Emperor protect him: it hurt to talk as the woman's heel twisted onto his chest.

"And I told you, I'd be the one standing in the end. An unexpected yet admirable attempt to stand against me without a Teigu. Most people would have died from that stomp, Tatsumi but you endured. I'm a bit embarrassed I went a_ little_ overboard for our duel at the end."

The downed boy took this defeat with a grain of salt and could only learn from this encounter.

It was just as she said before they fought. Tatsumi didn't believe it, but the basics of doing great things stemmed to basic building blocks. The Colonel needed the _raw power_ that formed his very physical body to stand against people who were beyond the standard soldier in the Wars, that were coming. Esdeath may have been a cold, demonic entity since he had heard about and her beliefs were questionable as were his but: the potential didn't lie.

That future required strength!

As well that future potential to become something truly to make Evil itself, fear his very sight and to lead his Imperial-Sabers again for the Glory of the Empire.

He weakly laughed at both the admission from the woman and the dreams of bringing change to the country that deserved 'Hope' and 'Justice'. So for the moment, he would use this unexpected twist in his life to better himself, in order to achieve his dreams for the future and to the have the Empire have faith in the Emperor once again. It made him realize something, every person held some sort of truth and the lies spun around them, made it all the more dangerous to assume anything.

This caused a happiness to spark in his heart, despite nearly being crushed into a mush of flesh and pulp alike...

Tatsumi continued to be smiling at the ideal of hope while laughing from being killed to get to that answer of relief and the belief of a better tomorrow. Even as Esdeath looked down at him with a flushed face at his enlightened expression. Something came to his mind, as her realized that in this duel of theirs and to become a better soldier. If he wanted to go beyond what he knew already, it had to take a better man to admit he couldn't take on an opponent that flattened armies.

Epiphanies occurred at the strangest of times.

The Colonel knew in his heart, that he would _learn _from_ her_ but: _she _would _learn _from_ him!_

That notion seemed nearly insanely but it made sense. He could adhere to his fate that was handed down to him and for that alone it'd be possible.

This would make the ideal for 'Hope' to blossom in his heart time, and time again. He had to see both sides of this problem, to see was to understand and to understand, was to know how to deal with this problem on hand.

Coughing violently as blood leaked down from his chin Tatsumi again just looked up at the woman.

A person who was now inadvertently his teacher, friend, superior and ultimately: his challenge!

All to see how far 'Hope' could go in order for 'Justice' to have the Empire, see a better tomorrow.

"At least, I learned to never underestimate when a Teigu is gone from its users hands. I thought, perhaps disarming you would make your Teigu's abilities be a nullified point..."

His statement brought a revelation, that really got him shocked to the tenacity and depth that the ancient Teigu did to their users.

Esdeath looked at him for a moment before laughing loudly holding her sides as Tatsumi could only stare up in confusion.

Despite so early in the morning, his body was crushed but his mind was so inflamed!

He wanted answers to those questions seared into his head by this experience alone.

Coughing a bit while groaning he got his answer as the woman knelt down next to him. Esdeath's was with an expression of bemusement and utter gentleness that her face glowed with something akin to affection. The Emperor help him, it looked too innocent on a the face of a monster to be at all right and it was odd, again.

"You thought my Rapier, to be the source for my Teigu correct? Is that you went all out in order to disarm me? I was quite shocked to think you figured where its location was at."

Her gentle yet amused tone just made him beckon her with his gaze to ask where, "I thought Teigus had physical states like swords, or even instruments for users to wear. Hell, even armor if I can remember the information right..."

One series of groans escaped him, when trying to move his legs, so it wasn't happening under his own will at least until his strength came back in a pained increments.

Shutting his eyes, he felt himself being lifted as a warm sensation went through his head as he hissed lightly at the agony his torso went through.

Opening his vision again he found himself, on the woman's lap with her hands guiding one of his own to her chest. In the valley of her chest, between the assets that made his blood boil with a fire that made him even uneasier than ever, to see the massive tattooed logo of some sort of _marking. _

His eyes were scanning the details, trying to make sense of what the hell her Teigu even _was _or _where_ it stayed within her body.

"My Teigu, is right here..."

Her hands had one of his own, palm first on the skin of her chest and he felt her heart beat calmer than the most battle-tested veterans in the Imperial Military. "I'll tell you more about it on a later date, but I control Ice Tatsumi, no matter where I go: I can form it and use it to destroy all those in my path. But it can be liquid and engrained into a user's body."

Almost regretfully she got up despite having his hand trail down onto her stomach which made him retract his limb, looking at the sky were the blue depths of it caused a smile to grow again.

He could see the birds flying.

They were free.

An ideal that all could do that one day, to be free and to no longer worry about the need to fear the dangers that could end their lives.

Glancing up at the blue-haired woman who smiled at him as she held her hand to him.

The boy could only return the gaze with his own pure, honest, hopeful emotions that made him feel that 'Hope' wasn't at all gone from the world.

Not while he lived and grew stronger, to keep from the face of Evil itself.

Reaching upwards she hefted him onto her shoulder as he hissed from the pains inside his chest. Tatsumi felt his own ribs bruising or perhaps his entire upper body become fractured.

She slipped his Saber and short-sword back into their respective holsters and his parcel became his crutch to carry onto his free limb.

The Colonel felt like a weakened squire in a nobleman's court, being beaten down for a practical lesson and had to learn the hard ways again.

For now he leaned against the woman who carried him out of the training grounds as the various guards were gaping in sheer _awe_ and _reverence _at the sights before them. He caught them looking at the spot where he got crushed. Murmurers and whispers from the experienced Guards caught his ears...

"How is that boy alive?"

"Unreal, the both of them."

"He should be dead..."

Tatsumi looked back as Esdeath carried him to her chambers, the spot where he had been lying in: was a crater that was almost a meter deep and had a circumference of two meters.

His body print indented into the Earth, like a mocking snow-angel in the wintery folds of the years when the chill weather of the northern enveloped the Empire.

The painful reminders that held sway in his heart, he could only smile at the brush of death and could only ask himself: if he were lesser of a person, that would have killed him within a matter of seconds...

All feeling left his legs now which he knew the signs his body of an pain-overload from his nervous system and he assumed it be a mercy, a blessing from the Emperor or God himself. It just felt nice to suddenly stop worrying about his aching bone.

"I'm going to pass out now."

His head felt light headed as the last thing he heard, was Esdeath's amused soft laughter.

And his vision blurred once he stepped onto the stairs leading to the Imperial-Palace.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ugh, feels like I got wedged into a cavalry charge and I have a broken back. Emperor, protect me from this agony and fucking hell, I can't feel my legs." <em>

Silently rising from his position, Tatsumi rubbed his face to see himself bare chested with bandages wrapped up all over his ribs. Sheets, so elegant and grandiose it made him question whether he was in the Palace or a Nobleman's bedroom? The next item made him believe, that perhaps a woman in this case as he spotted bra's on the desk over towards the corner.

Blinking hazily, he looked around from his spot on the bed.

Lying in a massive king sized bed, the curtains were folded neatly at the corners as furs were laced onto the sheets causing him to idly shift his shoulders. The pillows having the texture of a smooth Danger-beast skin hide, as he spotted bear-furs, tiger and perhaps some sort of primate but the details were lost on his mind. They all felt well enough for him to regret moving from a comfortable position.

He could see a map of the Empire on the far way, with arrows of army movements, objectives and what not ranging to the capital to the Northern Territories.

Glancing around, the room he was in was probably the three times the size of his...

A gentle breeze hit his face as he oversaw a balcony with a few of the Imperial City.

The sun nearly setting as he realized he had been passed out for almost over twelve hours: which had been a long time since he had experience a lapse in time. Straining a bit to get onto his two meet, he looked over towards the desk to see his belongings and uniform neatly folded, along with a piece of folded parchment over them. Now that got his attention, as his chest ached from breathing a bit too quickly.

A bit curious he looked at it, first flipping it and than unfolding it as a few sentences written from Esdeath herself were on display.

Her hand writing a bit neater than his own: shockingly.

"_I have a meeting with the Prime Minister, will be gone for most of the day and into the night. Rest up and keep the bed __**warm**__ for me_."

Snorting at the end of that note, he just stretched his shoulders to feel the soreness kick in and by the Emperor, it increasingly felt like his arm was rubber. Inhaling deeply he walked to the side of the room to see a bathroom with a finesse amount of details within, it made him shake his head at the shower there and it only got weirder to see a massive bathtub, or Jacuzzi in a separate room from that.

Tatsumi would have felt like a king which was the furthest thing he had ever wanted to experience and all of his fiances went into the Imperial-Saber Legion. Like a decent Commander he squandered most of his personal wealth for his men to benefit from his ideals and beliefs, so that thought alone made him a bit sorrowful.

He missed commanding the various men he had trained, most of them were hand picked and ultimately to be lead to Glory for the Empire as a whole.

"Quickest day, I've had to deal with in a while. But what can I do now, wait or just explore the Palace for the sheer hell of it? Esdeath never said I couldn't leave."

Shrugging the youngster moved to the map of the Empire to see the tactical readouts of the Northern Armies movements, as well as other various arrows of other such campaigns: but he looked to the west and witnessed, a 'Saber' icon pinned at a valley of a mountain line that Tatsumi knew to be his 'old' station as Commander of his Legion. The level of detail on this map really spoke volumes to the woman's dedication of spying on him from afar.

She had been keeping tabs on him which were accurately down to the mile on the map and while a bit creepy, it was certainly humbling now.

Exhaling sharply his eyes wandered to the Southern Region, many 'red-crossed' lines of defeated Armies or traitors had been marked, as numbers were often placed and the chill that crept up over his spine made him realize what he was starting up.

"_Over thirty thousand defected to the Revolutionaries and we lost nearly, twice that number to loses within the month. Almost one hundred thousand wasted lives, for a change that should have come earlier for the Empire. And this is only the beginning of a Civil War that will end the line of the Imperial Nations as we know it, son of a bitch..." _

Taking the wooden chair that was lined with furs, from the desk, Tatsumi sat down studying the layouts of the actual tactical maps of the Empire's borders. He saw red zoned areas, black X's or even dotted lines of potential rebellions that were making his mind turn at the sheer amount. So many of those symbols, literally being freshly drawn last night if he could see several coated layers.

The overall scheme of things, for the Empire was simply unreal.

And Tatsumi witnessed how much his efforts had done for the Empire, as a whole.

The Western Region had _nothing_ marked as significant notes.

While the North, East and Southern Regions had _hundreds _of significant notes.

It went to show the results of Tatsumi's efforts comparing to the rest of the those in command and it made him queasy to see the effects of methods he used. Offering _choices_ to the population were far more effective then whatever the other Armies were influencing on the other regions of the Empire, it just screamed _madness_ to not try his ways for once. Nearly feeling a bit sickened, he sat there tracing the paths of Armies within the Northern Regions.

He came across a scarce few battles, the occasional raid but he witnessed an 'X' over the Capital of the Northern region, a number made his eyes widen in disbelief!

"_Four-hundred thousand enemies destroyed and utterly annihilated? What in the Emperor's name could do such a thing, how could that many die and in such an..." _

The symbol of 'III' and the lack of red lines meant, Esdeath was responsible for that much destruction along with her 'Three-Beasts' themselves.

Also there was a black-cross to mark that Northern Capital, this meant that all forces stationed in the northern regions were her Army and it had been left to maintain the order in that frigid landscape.

His stomach nearly upheld whatever food within its confines but he tried to shake off the statistics since the details weren't mentioned on the map itself.

Just then a loud '_knocking_' came from the door, making him eye suspiciously.

Moving warily, he opened it to reveal an Imperial Palace Guard whose seniority seemed a bit older than he was but nonetheless he respectfully asked, "How can I help you Guardsmen? General Esdeath is not in her chambers if you require her summoned."

The man only replied in a formal tone, "Colonel Saber, correct? I have a missive from a Lieutenant Seryu Ubiquitous of the Imperial Police at the base of the gates to the Palace. She urges you to assist her in hunting down 'evildoers' and for 'Justice' as per her brightened requests."

The tone of the men wasn't particularly annoyed but he was on the way to it, as Tatsumi smiled kindly while nodding his head. Despite the fact that Seryu asked for him by name meant she needed something important done, technically Esdeath didn't ask him to remain in her room and he needed to stretch his legs again.

"Forgive her, she takes her job _very _enthusiastically but I'll be ready in five minutes no less. Let me get dressed and I'll follow you down, Guardsmen. Thank you for informing me."

The man nodded understandably, motioning for him to privacy as Tatsumi rapidly got his uniform on and weapons collected. The quickest response to be him being in full clothing was roughly sixty seconds as he slipped everything on at an urgent speed due to the fact he hated making those he considered as friends to wait for him.

Shaking off a few minor aches now, his adrenaline pumping fully and he slipped his ring on while adjusting his Beret to maintain it to his standard. Inhaling sharply, his Saber blade fell tied to his hip before moving to the door but he stopped...

Looking to the note on the desk, he quickly wrote an apologetic statement.

"_A friend contacted me just recently, I'll be in the capital city for some time Esdeath. Please do not be angered or worried, ask the Imperial-Police for my whereabouts if you so incline. From Tatsumi."_

Honestly signing his death warrant, the young Colonel moved to the door opening and then to follow the guard outside of the Palace itself. His pace urgent and then some as he went outside the main doors before getting to the Imperial-Stables to get his hands onto Noburu who was there fully ready to be ridden at a moments notice.

Getting up onto her, he got her to gallop towards the main gates of the Imperial Palace within moments as his eyes scanned for his new found friend. Seryu.

And it didn't take long to see her waving cheerfully at him, with Koro on her shoulders.

"Good evening Colonel Tatsumi!"

Her smile, bright, eager and infectious as he returned it. He noted that Koro had tried to salute and stumbled a bit on her shoulders, he couldn't help but laugh at the Teigu construct which deflated in front of him. Even the two Imperial Guards of the Palace in their blackened armors, cracked smiles at the sight and that stated something about their humorless positions.

Giving them a nod, he walked with Seryu to the street a few feet away from the Emperor's residence so that she could not be flogged for trespassing, visiting or not.

"Evening Lieutenant Seryu, how are you tonight? Koro keep you out of trouble, again?"

He asked the little Dog teigu as it sniffed his hand before rubbing himself against his palm.

The said master of the teigu could only huff indignantly at the higher ranked soldier who who just smiled that heart warming expression which made her body flush with excitement. Still she replied with as much enthusiasm as her positive outlook to defeat 'Evil' for 'Justice' could do.

"That's just mean Colonel! Hear I thought you wanted to assist me in trying to hunt down a lead on a group of evil-doers who were planning to kill a good citizen of the Empire. Last time I put my faith if you again, Koro be mean to him at once!"

Anyone could see her playful orders of the little dog looked at her as if she were crazy, as the little teigu found itself being rubbed behind its ears by Tatsumi whose expression: was the perfection of innocence at the lack of display of Koro himself.

Still her confession brought some an interesting point: tracking down a group of evil-doers?

Safely to assume something akin to thieves or a slaver ring, he certainly wouldn't mind the stress relief after today's brutal beat down from Esdeath.

His back still ached now that he realized it, mildly.

"I'm honored you'd ask me to help fight Evil, I have the time to spare and I'm sure I can use the experience to know the layouts of the capital. Count me in Seryu, Koro wouldn't have to suffer from the lack of attention you don't give him. Hmm?"

He teased her making the girl pout with a face that made his heart glow with affection, she seemed so innocent that it really sucked in order to say anything negative. Dipping his head as Koro seemingly 'betrayed' his master as he felt no ill-intentions from the little Teigu, it just wanted to be have 'fun' with Seryu as she playfully hit his back calling him a 'meanie', 'bastard' or what not.

He had to have held a past life whereas he had been an overprotective brother to a little sister...

Or older one, if she was older than him to be fair.

He walked over to the two Imperial Guards that were struggling to maintain straight faces at the indignation of the two friends despite being higher ranked than them. Tatsumi allowed them leeway, informing them of a possible warning if his note back in his chambers wasn't read fully. They were only human, doing their jobs and he couldn't really fault them for that.

"In the event that General Esdeath comes flying out of this Palace, please inform her that I'm accompanying the Imperial-Police Lieutenant Seryu Ubiquitous on an operation to track down some criminals. I don't know how well she'll react to my absence, if you hadn't seen the _show_ this morning on the front grounds."

The two men nodded, cracking grins much to his scoff of amusement.

Seryu yanked his arm towards the street. Tatsumi just shrugged resigning to his fate as Koro jumped onto his masters shoulders while he got pulled. Mounting onto Noburu he offered a hand to Seryu herself who only shook her head as she ran ahead. Tatsumi just took it as a sign, that the girl didn't enjoy riding horses despite his reassurances that Noburu was a good steed.

He followed with his steed towards another part of the city, as the weather in the skies dampened much to his intensively gaze at the clouds brewing beyond the waning lights of the sun itself.

A storm was soon to arrive on the night of the fading sun, an ill omen for: shock and conflict.

Anxiously licking the outright of his lips, Tasumi followed the quickened Imperial-Police Lieutenant whose endurance must have been subdued due to her Teigu, the little dog mysteriously still now. She was matching his animal's strides easily, which gave him a brief thought that all Teigu-users were somewhat enhanced to keep up with most things.

The night had grown alive with change, as the storms from the West had given way to the capitals sight as rain were to fall tonight.

Tatsumi had a strange feeling, an almost tightening of his guts to see that something was up tonight.

He felt it and for that matter alone, it only served a purpose: his dreams were going to be within reach that much closer, for in the coming storms and conflict that were on the rise. He would issue 'Hope' and 'Justice' to those that were underneath this system, so taking out a few criminal rings would only serve to make him reaffirm his belief in the Empire to see the good in people again.

And perhaps, he would find friends in those like Seryu and Koro...

If only he knew, that his actions tonight would make the entirety of Night-Raid and the Revolutionaries start to mark his head to begin a conflict the held the danger to split the country in half.

Whereas justice and hope thrived, the injustice and tyranny of its opposites endured.

If only Tatsumi would realize what this meant for those who were fighting against Evil in the Empire.

Would they consider him, the very Evil he proclaimed to purge for those to have hope?

Mistakes _can _be forgiven...

But murder could **never** be forgotten...

And the moon would not shine this night, where death was coming.

**End Chapter Six**

**Author's Note: **So, tell me: how did you like the interactions between Esdeath and Tatsumi?

Okay I'm not going to lie, I was really trying to get Esdeath believable more so as her Canon-counterpart. I really felt pressured to make her genuinely happy, to be around Tatsumi (at least this version) and how I could, use his life so far to react to her presence. Granted it may have seemed over the top, I felt that it was pushing that line of disbelief and tolerance.

Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh for you as readers and for myself, to judge this pairing.**  
><strong>

Also, I was tempted to do the fan-boy thing (I'll grudgingly admit this) to have them hit it off, but there would be no point in build up. So I did the right thing, hopefully in that sense, to see what exactly both of these people have to contend with against each other. I'll try to be brief on whether they actually get more closer as a couple: that old saying of '_Opposites, attract_' is kind of truthful but, why? Why is that true?

Moving onwards: that fight scene with Esdeath, Tatsumi can **not **beat her as he is now. There is no way, he can hold his own for a time and what it's worth: this proves that Tatsumi is a skilled soldier, a skilled, shrewd and a patient one but _doesn't_ have a Teigu.

It boils down to a simple thing: power.

A human against a Teigu user and to win, is a grand affair.

Plus many of you like the idea of a pretty gritty fighter, but Willpower has its limits for a man or woman, to overcome. So Esdeath is the literal, mountain that he has to face head on against a multiple scale of levels: Physically, Mentally and Idealistically. I'm doing something most have tried, I may be making things a little too complex or I'm trying too hard.

So enough for that.

Next chapter, I hope that it outshines this one.

Why, you ask?

Just where does this chapter fit, in what time frame and what comes after it.

I won't say much more but for you, to assume what and why.

Apart from that, have a good day and be safe wherever you are at.


	8. Chapter VII

(**A/N: **Even I will hate myself for this. Do not try to try to kill me until I run.)

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Seven**

The night skies rumbled with distant thunder along with the occasional flash of lightning.

As the humid air shifted into a cooler temperature as rain arrived overhead.

Tatsumi yawned softly as his wounds from earlier in the morning were beginning to take their tole on him. So far after a few hours of practically sitting in a tree over-watching one of the many massive Imperial Capital's natural parks, not a soul had moved within his visual range. At this time of night he would have expected more Imperial-Citizens to take in the beauty of this small recreational patch of haven, but in his heart he knew that fear of those stalking the alleyways were too great.

The fear of corruption had run deep into the veins of the citizens.

So they were fearful of the faces of Evil that hounded at their hearts and the system of abuse had all but sucked the hope out of their eyes.

As the Colonel stood vigilant.

Watching and listening just to be waiting for whatever the targets that his companion Seryu brought him along for.

Perhaps in hindsight he should have gotten something to eat before playing the 'detective' or what not, to settle in. At least where he sat on a tree-branch, completely concealed and tried to think of a practical means for this situation. Anything to pass the time to just ignore the pain that was his semi-crushed chest area that Esdeath had literally put her foot down upon.

So possibly he could have this time to use to train his mental fortitude.

Or to pay attention to details.

Detail that would normally escape the gazes of those who were in the same shoes as him.

So idly he glanced over towards Seryu's position.

The said person literally in the next tree over was uncharacteristically serious in her posture as an Imperial-Police officer. Tatsumi felt that something was off about her and it was her eyes that gave it all away. Both of her orbs were akin to a hawk's own gaze when searching for prey to hunt, it honestly looked foreign on her usual innocent expression and it gave him all the more reason to ask himself a question.

Why?

What motivated this girl to fight for justice?

He could only feel the need to understand her duty to perform to that task and that alone made him want to stand by her. Certainly her motives were mysterious to him but like all people, Tatsumi would find out by simply asking. So he waited for the time to pass by to consider his words on the matter. Just where did he begin to ask? Perhaps he had to ask himself the obvious, their targets tonight.

With no clue as to who or what these 'evil-doers' were and why he was asked to come along in the first place.

Honestly it just made him anxious enough to ask her.

Seryu had only said to him when he asked: it was a simple cheerful statement that made him less than _thrilled _at the lack of information.

"_When the evil-doers pass through this area, Justice will prevail and we'll take them on. Don't worry about it, you'll see when I find them Tatsumi! Just have faith in me, to do Justice for all!"_

In the end, he went with it.

Tatsumi couldn't do much other than to trust in her words.

Idly his hands went to the wrapped bandages that were entwined around his body and he had to understand their doings. These bandages weren't sloppy but neither were they perfect. It spoke volumes of the General that he was under, would even give him basic first aid after he passed out. So Tatsumi rationalized that Esdeath had the basics of first-aid down but had never actually, performed the said aid on any in her entire career and for that reason he was thankful.

It could have been worse.

That duel flashed into his mind.

Again the way that her sword-play practically outmaneuvered his own efforts to fight it to a stand still.

He felt sort of humbled again but the experiences of him earning that place into his skills to become a proficient soldier. Skills that were crushed due to her insistence's of what she saw as flaws within his fighting style. So why were they called flaws if that is what drove him to become that top of the line soldier, those flaws up to this point had given him motivation to continue finding that line to break past. So to call his experiences as flaws it'd be a mouthful to bare.

It hurt.

It hurt on a lower level than the physical pains which were just adding insult to the injury.

An injury to his pride or, what was left of it.

Still he learned and he'd only become stronger under the General's instruction to be at her level at whatever time in the future. It puzzled him as to how he could rise to that type of level and manage to become a walking force to drive the Empire's Armies into Glory, for the Emperor himself. How could Esdeath make him that type of soldier given the fact he didn't have a Teigu or should he be worried about her methods? Methods to create another monster, if that were to be case for his growth to her level.

Either way he could get stronger in some sort of sense.

That possibility could only be met with a smile on his part.

The words that came to mind were: 'Loyalty unto Death' as he'd had promised the Emperor on the day of his promotion and would keep the promise.

It was engrained into his heart.

Reaching the pinnacle of strength to become a soldier still seemed so far away and for the life of him, he had the means to attain at the cost of wavering his beliefs to a woman whose very presence consumed all of those feelings he had lived for. What would it take to be that pillar for the Empire without crushing the ideals of 'Hope' and 'Justice' to see that better tomorrow? How could he do that for all citizens to embrace? Where he could go? Where could this answer be and how could he even consider to try to understand the problems that blocked such a dream?

Tatsumi just snorted when realized the best thing he could do was: learn.

To learn he had to listen, to listen he had to grow and to grow was to gain strength.

All for the hope that others: would listen to him at the least.

Swinging his legs absently the young Colonel noticed that Seryu had Koro at the forefront of the branch and he had that moment of truth, to go speak to her.

Nothing around the entire park had twitched at their presences, nor did anyone remotely shady come into play and for that, he felt compelled to pass the time to chat with his friends. Glancing around the park once more, the young Imperial Officer merely stood up on the branch before idly brushing his pants off. A good portion of his body still ached from his brief duel with Esdeath earlier in the day which showed that blue haired woman, hit harder than hell.

The strain to his mid torso area could only hamper him if he had to chase down whatever 'evil-doers', in Seryu's words if they came across them.

He needed more information from her since he honestly wanted a straightforward answer to at least justify this odd, stakeout point. If the Imperial-Police and Guards were serious enough, then the perimeter would be collapsible to the point where no one would escape the sight of sentries posted. He wished he had his Imperial-Sabers at his command again as the amount of man-power to encircle a potential area would only be a boon to the effective tacticians running the plans for defeating the corruption choke holding the citizens of the Imperial Capital.

Cracking his knuckles Tatsumi tried to perform some loose stretches to get the tightness from his back into a more suitable feeling for him to move around but all it did was make him wince. Perhaps coming out here had been an ill advised move but he had the call to assist his friend and wouldn't back down from a meager crushed chest cavity. Inhaling sharply the results weren't worth wild to feel his lungs strain for air against his chest bone.

Not to mention the Colonel could only speculate the numerous fractured ribs, along with possible arms and his collarbone. All in all that made him hiss in silent grievances which in short summarized statement: this was a stupid idea...

A dumb idea that really started to hurt.

But to be fair this type of pain was akin to his time in the Western Territories, moving place to place as his body healed after battles and it always made the perfect times to respect the few places to rest comfortably. He missed the consistency in his time so far it really made him uneasy but it was familiarized to get him to feel confident to maintain his ability to assist anyone who was close to him.

The bitter truth of the weight of his actions had finally come into a full circle when he thought about it all.

Nearly all his friends were dead.

Others were beyond his sight for so long that the kinship faded into a numb silence, that made up his heart at times.

It just hurt.

The Legion that were the Imperial-Sabers were his family and the few friends he held with them were pretty strong in the sense of camaraderie to believe in the ideal of 'Hope' and 'Justice' while fighting for the Glory of the Empire, to have the Emperor only ask of them to serve and to die. This was what his Legion did in his name, so that they were all to be remembered in their service. Gazing ahead as the Colonel went into a more depressed state, he felt his heart throb painfully.

Tatsumi softly uttered the words of his Legion, their creed so that even Seryu could hear it.

It was possible if she heard it as the spot across them was a small space, between the tree-branches.

"Soldiers we are: we the Imperial-Sabers do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, so we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down, ever."

Maintain that loyalty was for maintaining hope for those see that Justice had not abandoned the Empire, the faith in the Emperor and the faith to see that better tomorrow had only instilled the motivation to see that dream come to reality. Tatsumi spoke this warmly directly from his heart as his mind gave the connection to those that would listen to his words: to listen for the ideals that founded the Empire over a thousand years ago.

Inhaling the cooling air the young Colonel waited for a breeze to entice him to sit back on the branches as he stood compelled to see the face of Evil, that had been summoned before his sight. Seryu had asked for his help so he would comply and assist her in the purge of Evil from the Imperial Capital for those to see that Hope and Justice had not abandoned them to the very nightmares of corruption that endured in the flawed system that sickened the entirety of the Imperial Nation.

Tatsumi could not abandon his country-men to the fowl entities who deserved to burn in the fires of hell itself.

Shifting slightly he felt the branch he had stood on move: to have Seryu and Koro rise from her crouching position next to his legs.

"Tatsumi..."

Her expression was one of veiled curiosity as her eyes were wondering what those words he had spoken and it had effected her so much, that she asked him in the most endearing tone. She _wanted to listen_ to his words, if he could base her intentions but nonetheless waited patiently for her gather her courage to ask. To actually see a person to have hope, to have faith in him in order to ask questions to see: a better tomorrow. That assumption had made him happier than anything. Her eyes contained that spark he needed to have her listen to his ideals, his dreams and his love for the country that he lived in.

Resting against the trunk of the tree as his friend asked him the very questions that he asked himself years ago.

"Can I ask what those words are? The way you spoke them almost as if you were, sad? What do they mean to make you sound like that? Who came up with them?"

Voices entered his mind, the ones with questions he had asked so long ago.

_Why..._

_What does it mean..._

_Who can stop this..._

And he had yet to stop it from haunting him.

Clearing his throat the younger Officer could only speak softly due to his injuries at the hands of Esdeath earlier this morning.

However this ache wasn't anything to the zeal of his faith that his dreams could be achieved within his position to save the Empire that he loved and to give the citizens the right to hope again. The right to choose, their faith in order to hope for a better tomorrow for all to see the light of the Emperor's reign. So strongly exhaling enough to ease the aches from his chest that he answered her in the best way he could: honesty.

He honestly told her the truth.

And held nothing back from her.

"It's not a unit motto, I'll try to explain that as best as I can. It's more of a vow, one that is a voluntary promise to not yourself nor to your own Army per say. It's more to the Empire as a whole. Have you ever had a belief that made you wish to have others to understand and to know what you intend too do for what, you loved? Seryu?"

His explanation made the young girl tilt her head curiously. Mainly at the direction he was asking of her, asking for an answer that was for a larger cause than what he knew. She tried to voice an answer in the sense she believed in Justice and to slay evil, whereas all that were evil would be punished by her Justice alone and with Koro at her side. But her instincts told her that her words, weren't the actual answer to what the Colonel asked her. However inside her mind Tatsumi's words held a more potent intent that stirred a more _purer and simpler _reasonable approach to what he was asking of her.

Did she want others to understand her reasons for justice alone?

She'd have said, 'yes' but a second part of his questions made the young Imperial-Police Officer stop in her tracks when something clicked.

"I don't understand, what do you mean by: 'what I intend to do, for what I love...'"

Her face intensively demanding for once the young Colonel could only shrug in response while glancing upward at the skies which were darkened completely. Perhaps hindsight again was a bitch, he had the dreams to spread his ideals and he hadn't had much practice beyond his own Legion. Inspiring soldiers were one thing but convincing people outside his own familiar setting was challenging in its own right. Making people believe in a cause that could have them killed, really made things hard to explain to others.

So he took his time trying to form the best sentences to explain to a girl who believed in the idea of Justice.

But what were the reasons?

Where did she stand on the change that was needed for this flawed system of government that the Prime Minister used to dance to his tunes and corrupted ambitions? How could he understand for his reasons to be known by those who wished to listen or hadn't had the choice to do so? Looking down for a moment, Tatsumi did what he could explain his own 'beliefs' in order for Seryu to at least understand his actions for what he knew what was right to begin with. It took a few moments but he went with what he swore to do in the first place.

Going back to his promotion ceremony and speaking truthfully again.

"I believe in the Emperor as I believe in the Empire Seryu and for what it's meant to stand for. I want to give the citizens of the Empire a _choice_ to have _Hope_ and to have faith in _Justice_ in order, for all of us to see a better tomorrow. My dreams are for those who live in the same country as myself to bring these beliefs that made the Empire so just and powerful at its founding. I love the Empire that I'd swore my life to lay down my utter existence for the Emperor alone..."

His explanation partially made the girl sit herself down next to him.

Tatsumi joined her as his back ached again from earlier and for what it was worth: he wanted her to _understand_ and to _know_ his reasons for believing in what he believed in.

This wasn't as simple as he could have imagined since hell it kind of made him a bit nerve-wracking to explain this in that sense and the person he was talking too wasn't as familiar with what he knew. It was just that Seryu wasn't a soldier like he was, fighting out in the frontiers and consistently moving onward to crush rebellion after rebellion. She hadn't been on the battlefields to develop what he knew of Justice and Hope as this made things somewhat awkward to explain. Now while challenging this was feasible, since he was honest.

Ignoring the urge to wince he coughed a bit making the young girl look at him worry as she asked.

"You look pale Tatsumi! Are you sick?"

He played it off, smiling a bit thankful at her concern.

"Only by spirit, but thank you. I'll be fine."

Tatsumi continued his explanation despite the close proximity of the Imperial Officer he took a moment to steady himself.

"When I was younger, I witnessed an Evil that had taken in the hearts of many of my fellow soldiers. Atrocities so utterly disgusting that I wanted to change. I wanted to change those who followed the Empire and swore to serve the Emperor for the ideals of a dream, that all within the Empire would have at least a chance and a choice to fight the very faces of Evil that polluted it. I had that chant, that vow to myself and when I had my orders to lead a Legion of men Seryu! I vowed to see that _Hope_ and _Justice _had to be done for those within the Empire, so that all had a better chance to see a better tomorrow. A dream where everyone would live in prosperity, I supposed and to serve this country, that is my own heart and soul..."

Pausing to take a breath the young Colonel looked at the young girl who was listening so intently at her eyes were becoming wide in warmth. Tatsumi could see that as hope sprouting inside her heart. It may have been small for now but he could believe that his dreams weren't out of reach for those to listen to him and he would help her tonight, to thank her for listening to his beliefs.

Even the little Teigu itself, Koro the small dog like creature had slipped itself down into the lap of his master and was listening to the words that were being said of the what the future itself could be: for all to witness a better tomorrow. This was for every Imperial Citizen under the Emperor's gaze. A Glory to the Empire he loved and would never betray as along as he lived.

Inhaling deeply he felt conflicted since he'd started the day nearly destroyed by a woman whose beliefs could very end his own. Esdeath had the means to break him and he knew not, the way to avoid such a fate. For what it was worth, the woman who he was under now had done terrible things if the rumors were true and he couldn't afford to get her angry at him.

Yet he couldn't yield to that woman, not now nor ever...

As a simple fact stood out.

Tatsumi could not _lose_ hope.

This was to see himself standing at the end of the line where the true intentions of those serving in the Emperor's name and to serve the Empire for a better purpose would be the realization of his dreams.

"All people who serve the Empire are good Tatsumi. I believe that and for those who stand against it are the Evil-doers that must pay! My 'Justice' for my father who was killed by the evil-doers are I live for! I believe in 'Justice' just as you do!"

Her views seemed to be a personal vengeance.

Tatsumi didn't even flinch as her words more self-doubting that anything he had witnessed and her beliefs seemed incredibly skewered in his mind. Is that what it came down to from this system? Just a simple black and white that blended the lives of those who were near Evil? Why were they to be considered that? As those who were good were to fight the Evil in power, those that abused their power to twist ideals into a means of mass corruption?

His heart hurt to beat as this was within the heart of the Empire?

"_I will not falter, Evil will not escape my sight."_

Her answer made him frown eyes boring into the girl whose smiling face didn't give voice to the bigger picture of that word.

What she believed in was not justice but vengeance.

Two words that made the worst of people pending on how far they meant to fill that need.

Her need to strike back at the very Evil which had taken away her family seemed to make her content but she would become the very Evil that she swore to destroy if she killed anyone _innocent._ The innocent that had to commit a crime, since they had been abused by the systems in place. If a person wanted to steal food to feed his or her family, furthermore a child in order to avoid starvation.

If Seryu killed a person like that: was she than an evil-doer, that she claimed to fight?

Did she not realize that line of thinking made Evil, flourish int he form of ignorance?

He didn't pity her.

Tatsumi wanted to help her.

It was the right thing too do and he would do that her as a friend. To prove that the system could be changed, to change to do good in the Empire. So perhaps in time this would the apart of the answer. And for that to happen he needed those who believed in that change. More so, to convince people that such a change was there for them to believe in. As to have belief was to have faith, to have faith in hope that justice could be done.

Reaching for her hand Tatsumi took a gentleness that made his eyes soften.

He spoke kindly to the girl, doing her the 'justice' that needed to be done.

"What you say of Justice is just a means for vengeance Seryu. I can see you are hurting because of your father who stood loyal to what the Empire is. Look beyond that if you destroy those are near the Evil, that you have sworn to fight and you happen to kill an innocent who had commit Evil to help someone. If you kill a thief who steals food for a son, daughter or any family it means _you _inherently create the _same_ Evil that took your father to one who would in the _same _place you are now and would that make you_ evil _in that sense?"

By taking a gamble he knew not what to expect of this since the system in place ultimately created situations like this far too often. Just where did Evil and Good ever intermingle for reasons that were justified? That answer wasn't easy to decide upon, so for the moment he had to have hope in this chance to see this girl understand his own views by challenging her own.

What was Justice?

What was Evil?

Each could be mixed and how did each person define those answers? All of these questions in order were to seek the very goals that everyone in life wished to accomplish? This entire conversation mentally drained him further beyond what was possible as he watched emotions swing through the girl. Perhaps the dangers in this wasn't he words but his own doubts to meet those beliefs for those to ask of him what it mean and could he understand his own words?

Her face in thought almost set in stone and her body posture stiff, as steel.

Tatsumi knew she was beginning to _understand_ what it meant for him to utter his words before when she asked.

But would she _know_ what it meant to have that mantle on one's shoulders?

Again he took the gentle approach, kindly telling her that she had time to consider it.

"You don't have to answer me today, or tomorrow. Take your time to _understand_ when I say these next words that you wished to _know_ and what it means to live by them. Do you still want me to speak the phrase you want to hear, Seryu?"

He laughed near the end softly and warmly taking her hand into his grip giving her strength in order to have hope. It wasn't complicated at the moment and the girl had her head bowed to him since an extensive mix of emotions were swirling inside her own mind. Tatsumi waited patiently watching the surroundings around them and in order to see his faith to see that hope to those to see a better tomorrow.

So he would wait for his friend to make a decision.

When she gave her answer he felt her clench his hand tightly feeling that warmth traveling between them.

"Yes. I want you to say what I didn't hear at first, please. I'll think about what you're saying after we destroy these Evil-doers tonight and I promise to give you my answers, when I can..."

When she looked up her face was hollow but contemplating as he spoke the creed of his Legion that served the Emperor and the Empire, his compassion finally give voice after it had been cast down for the past few days now. As he spoke the skies above them rumbled in thunderous tones that signaled that the storm was upon them. The temperature dropped enough to feel the moisture in the air concede to the oncoming changes above in the skies of the heavens, that were alive with activity as lightning flashed above them.

Tatsumi recited the vows that he made for his soldiers for himself and for all of those who wished to take on the mantle to give back Hope and 'Justice' to the Empire.

This was to stand against the very face of Evil that had crippled the systems and required a change for everyone to have faith, to see change come.

"Soldiers we are: we the Imperial-Sabers do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we fail to purge Evil from our sights. We are flesh and steel, so we are nothing but weapons of the Emperor. In the face of Evil we do not back down, _**ever.**_"

Silence reined between the two, Seryu could only tremble as Tatsumi held her firm with his hands. He had not forced her to question herself, to question whether the values of her own beliefs were to be true against those in the same country as her own self and he did not wish of her to think less of him trying to explain his own beliefs. So neither were technically wrong but neither were they right in the eyes of the many within the Empire during this age they lived in.

To be fair she wanted to understand why and to know what those words meant.

They weren't just his personal feelings for himself.

The bigger picture into that belief gave the ideal that Hope would always be in the presence of Justice. That was what was needed to have 'faith' in the Empire, to see a better tomorrow in the gaze of the Emperor who ruled over them through the system that needed a change. To purge the corruption that had caused so much pain, that the Empire would fall to the chaos of the world if an open civil war destroyed it. The signs were there for that destruction to come upon his country, it had reared its head in the form of an infamous assassination group.

Those catalysts were people who had a similar intention to his own but had fallen to their own hearts.

While Night-Raid stood against the Empire, it was opening a door for change through war and bloodshed.

Their hope in the System had failed and they had turned their backs on the Empire.

Tatsumi stood with the Emperor and the Empire to prove that to have hope the faith would see this change inside and out. He had sworn Loyalty unto Death, forever to have faith that hope would not perish in the confines of Justice. He wouldn't fail to change this system from the inside and purge the corruption without threatening the existence of millions of citizens who would fall to the prey, of the chaotic world beyond their borders.

And the mantle of his own beliefs which would in the end: pit him against them eventually.

To fight Night-Raid...

A group of people who were trying to do good and he had to stop them from causing the collapse of a nation he had hope in.

Tatsumi let himself lower his head to the those that had died. To those he had fought with, those that he had bled with and had taught him what the Empire had become in its present state. He had learned through their actions, their feelings, their own dreams in order to accomplish whatever orders that were made out to be and this was in the service of the Emperor. A service to the Empire that had stood for a thousand years, they didn't have to lose hope for change to come to them and they would find a way to bring it forth.

They were to march for Glory for the Empire and to ultimately die in his service to achieve what numerous did in the past: victory. The victory within War could superseded the consequences but eventually, it'd all come down to the decline of the rewards in which they could keep on fighting and for what? What did he has left to fight for once this entire dream of his ever came to pass like the rising of a new dawn itself.

Koro nudged his leg making him look down at the small teigu creature.

On his small legs did this little one look up at him nudging him as he placed his hand over the animals head rubbing him gently. He knew that the Teigu had chose Seryu as his master for a reason but the small _being_ before him could _feel_ what he knew in his heart and understood the idea of it. The key differences between User and Teigu was that one _knew_ the consequences of the War and the other only _understood_ the after effects that pertained to the future itself.

Inhaling deeply again to stem the pain from his chest the young Colonel sat there overlooking the small park as Seryu moved closer towards him.

Glancing over, he looked down at her hidden face as her hand passed over his...

"Seryu just remember this: I'm not asking for you to become someone else. I want you to be you and decide with your judgment on what is 'Justice' and 'Evil' alright? When I'm lost or perhaps a better thing, is what when I'm confused on where to go. I say this: 'Find hope in order for you to find faith and have faith, in order to find: a better tomorrow.' Just never forget that if you feel lost or hurt on a day where it'll come around you."

His request didn't go unanswered as Seryu gripped his hand intensively squeezing it for support and he opened his limb in order for her to know he was there.

Unknown to him, the words of the young Colonel held a strong effect on the girl whose views were indeed skewered.

She felt lost.

At least lost in the sense is what she thought she knew about Justice. The words spoken to her made her intently think further beyond about an ideal that wasn't her own yet it held similar notions to her beliefs. She came to a realization, that would take its time to form but: she had to open her eyes to a world not black or white. The answers wouldn't come to her now but, Tatsumi had opened a small doubt that slowly entrapped the young girl in her thoughts. If the world wasn't black and white as he claimed, then were was the grey that filled it?

These Grey areas were within the blurred line of good and evil.

So to find those bright spots, it would be harder than any battle she had faced.

Tatsumi's heart raced as the blood flowing into his body faster as he realized the full extent of his responsibility to both the Emperor and the Empire, to those who held hope in their hearts for Justice to come back to the system in place.

"_Why is it so hard to remain true in this world? Without the need to cry I can feel my heart just slowly dying when I see a person try to understand the world we live in, the Empire is not evil, nor are those living their lives alongside people like her and for what? For corruption and that festering Evil to destroy the lives of many for the sake of their own self-deviations to play God. I will not fail to purge Evil from my sight, for I have faith in the Emperor."_

The two sat there in silence occasionally Koro would orient himself between Tatsumi, or his master who had been silent for quite some time.

Neither of them wanted to break the silence that had started to form closer bonds of friendship to each respective, Officer of the Empire and despite the differences amongst them. Each of the two held hope and eventually it'd grow into faith, to help each other in the future to come. However at this time, Tatsumi 'Saber' just watched the park as Seryu finally lifted her head to stare at him with a saddening expression forming.

Her eyes didn't flicker from the lack of emotion but full of...

"_I'll let her decide what she feels. She has a choice and I will not take that right away from her."_

The Colonel didn't speak those thoughts in what he witnessed for a fleeting moment, he sat there at ease with himself. Taking the time to see what he foresaw in her orbs, they were of the sadness for herself in this maddening world but for what was worth trying to grasp in the words of beliefs and actions alone. In the end the answers would come but it was a matter of how they came to their individuals who asked the questions to get those answers.

All of a sudden Koro started nudging his master who was on Tatsumi's shoulder.

The Teigu leaning over towards Seryu who had her head against his chest.

And it set off the signals that their time to act had come.

Seryu got up slowly.

Her snickering loud enough to get Tatsumi almost immediately on edge.

It was as if the previous events they had talked about were ignored. As a soldier the Colonel knew more than likely knew the stress and silent deeper pains of the girl were being suppressed to maintain the problems in the present and it seemed she needed a way to vent out her frustrations. Unfortunately it seemed that their evil-doer quarries had finally arrived into the kill zone that she had set-up.

Glancing around the large park he noted the clock tower that was near the peak of the night itself and he could only wait for whatever got Koro anxious to reveal to his gaze.

"Finally evil-doers that I have long sought for my father's death. I see you _now._"

Her tone excited so gleefully and nearly borderline psychopathic that it wasn't easy to ignore.

So the young Colonel grasped his Saber in hand to maintain his position to reveal himself if necessary to support Seryu when the time came to battle. Crouching on the branch, he heard thunder in the skies above as lightning occasionally flashed revealing the darkness in a ghoulish blue coloration as he could see two figures rushing towards their location. His stomach tightened as lightning flashed above seeing the incoming figures moving in the coming storm, above them.

Almost simply he felt a sense of despair and heard an increase in snickering from the person next to him.

As a monstrous feral lust for blood entered his senses.

His eyes watched with pains beyond any man to see a person, as he witnessed his friend twist her expression into something akin to a lunatic.

This madness that made him stare in open horror at the girl who was marred by the system of the corruption in place and he could only pity those that were in gaze.

"_Justice and Vengeance are two different things Seryu. I hope after tonight, you'll realize what this means but until then: we have criminals to take down and I need to vent my own troubles. So whoever is coming is not going to be shown any leniency from my blade."_

He knew that Seryu would show no mercy despite talking to her tonight: her frustrations would be well spent, onto her criminals arriving...

Running figures could seen in the distance, he two see two objects from his position and that stroke him as odd, what would thieves or potential slavers being carrying objects? Blinking in apparent confusion, he waited patiently to see that Seryu had grown so anxious to strike at them, he looked to see the twisting _facial_ reconstruction of a girl whose very pores were screaming for blood and whether she knew or not, her face was not one set in justice. Then again, who was he to compare such a thing when in the lines of battle himself and forced to do things, he enjoyed than to be disgusted about?

His grim resolve of what had to be done versus what could have been done in order to prevent such killings, in War itself.

"_What can you do to stop someone from being killed? How do you prevent it to become a traitor to do the right thing or do you obey maintaining yourself at the expense of becoming the very thing you swore to destroy? Justice or Hope of which the two do you sacrifice in order to achieve both? I can't stop shaking now because..." _

As the two figures got closer lighting flashed above as Tatsumi felt his nerves flare up as the faces became clearer.

He could see the features as his hand went numb with disbelief...

As they were shaking as the consequences of his actions were coming to haunt him once more and for once: he wished he had stayed within the Imperial Palace for what had to force himself to do.

"Oh god."

The tears were forming so small yet so full of unbelievable grief that the Colonel lost his sense of ability to breath as he witnessed who was coming down the path towards him.

Two people coming towards his Saber, towards the friend he had hoped to change but the weight of avoiding her own demise. Would be at the expense of killing good people who were traitors to the Empire and for that end alone: Tatsumi couldn't concede to the urge to flee! He had to stay due to the fact, if he fled it would be running from the very problem that he had to face eventually.

He couldn't get away from this confrontation since the danger was too much, to ignore his friends plight.

So clenching his fists so strongly that blood seeped from their bruised tones from the duel with Esdeath it made on pain nullify another.

His chest suddenly didn't hurt as much as his heart realized, just what he would have to do: to maintain his loyalty to the Empire.

And to keep his promise...

The two figures ran by his position as Seryu jumped to intercept them.

Tatsumi followed without hesitation knowing a full confrontation would be the only, way to maintain his loyalty to the Emperor and to face down traitors whose intent were as Just and as Hopeful as his own. But in the face of reality one of those beliefs would be destroyed utterly and in the system of corruption, no mercy could have been granted. This would make the grief stricken Colonel have to hold true to his hope for a better tomorrow as his faith would be strung along in the continuous dance of death itself.

When rose up, to face the two in front of him their faces were beset with horror and betrayal, on levels beyond any person could express.

Sheele.

Mine.

"_I can only ask god to forgive me. To forgive me for my sins for tonight and in my past. I'm sorry._"

Both members of Night-Raid who knew him before returning to the Capital had all but frozen at the sight of his drawn Saber, standing at the side of Seryu Ubiquitous who was not the face of Evil, but merely a by-product of the corruption that suffocated the system and now he had to pay for his sins against whose he cared for. All in order for the Empire to survive so in order for him to maintain the promise to the Emperor himself, as the words came back to haunt him in his memories. These words that weren't easily broken, as his soul cried out at the against that would befall him and what the true weight of seeing a better tomorrow would adhere too.

"_I promise: Loyalty unto Death."_

Rain began to pour heavily now.

As lightning flashed above the soon to be battlefield within the heart of a corrupted Empire, whose very system had pushed friends into a conflict of fatal mistakes. Which could be forgiven, but for one of them to die: it couldn't be forgiven to murder. Tatsumi steeled his heart while he kept his Saber close as the real test of loyalties began as Seryu initiated the conversation with Koro at her side who was remarkably still.

The upcoming blood lust from the Imperial-Officer merely made the Teigu canine emulate its masters desires and making Tatsumi only feel a numb coldness.

"I knew it when I saw your face: Sheele of Night-Raid. It seems my time preparing this hasn't gone to waste. Your wanted dead or alive but I'll be your executioner tonight _evil-doer_ and that other teigu user is also apart of Night-Raid as well. Perfect, just perfect to rid the world of two criminal evil-doers, I'm so happy..."

Insane giggles echoed in the park clearing as the clock tower illuminated the darkness into a low whitish coloration.

It bathed everyone in the artificial light as the two members of Night-Raid kept their emotions schooled. Tatsumi's gaze had washed over them and he his eyes offered nothing but an emptiness that foretold of his intentions. They seemed to be uneasy at his lack of emotion within his emerald orbs. As he knew they were afraid of such a choice and they knew: why.

He had told them before he left on that day and as much as they got along as friends.

The Colonel had stated that he was loyal to the Empire.

And nothing less would make him leave the very thing he loved in his heart: despite how bitter he felt about staring into the eyes of a woman he respected...

"Well now, isn't this a surprise? Having someone know us, right Sheele? If she knows who we are it means she either goes with us or we kill her right? I'd hate to be in your shoes, you Imperial-bitch."

Mine as the more hot headed of the two Night-Raid members retorted making Seryu's smirk grow larger as her hair shadowed her eyes.

Her fingers clenching and releasing despite the cold rain hitting her exposed skin.

Unknowingly Mine had literally fed fuel to the fire.

Just as Tatsumi absently took notice of the other Night-Raid member's expression.

Sheele hadn't even flinched when he stared her down, not even an inch. Perhaps she knew why or rather the reasoning behind his appearance next to this Imperial-Police officer and due to the rains pelting them all. Her eyes were intently studying the water masking an emotion that all people knew what to do when faced with an impossible decision. Her face didn't part as Tatsumi stared back, dully blinking only when the rain water trailed down his cheeks.

The tears could not been seen.

But they could only be felt.

"Lieutenant Seryu."

Colonel 'Saber' called out firmly as the girl glanced over at him within moments: which was a good thing...

He would command her abilities to maintain a tactical edge over this battle.

All she had to do: was just tie up Mine and her ranged fire.

And he'd deal with Sheele in the meantime.

This was the soldier within him speaking to the Imperial-Police officer his voice completely devoid of emotional attachments. In a battle, on the field in some distant terrain: the lives of his soldiers, came before his feelings and they were to survive, learning from him on what it meant to serve. To serve was what he only asked for the Emperor and his loyalty to the Empire, to combat all threats.

No matter how heart breaking the orders were.

"Yes, Colonel?"

He moved up to her side intent on keep the conversation as short as possible for the sake of his heart and the chances of victory: he needed only to keep the other swords-woman occupied for her Teigu to take out the supporting arch of fire. Glancing around in the trees he expected the rest of Night-Raid too come support these two but no one came, not a one. Actually feeling his heart tighten made things just worse off, as he had the insight to know what he could do in order to effectively win this fight now.

The odds were in their favor due to the fact, Night-Raid had taken multiple missions again.

It meant that they were split up over the entire capital doing the same missions or off on their own assignments from Najenda.

Such a shame...

He'd feel better knowing all of them would be here to possibly defeat him in order to prevent the choices forming in his head about the end-game of this battle.

"I want you to tie up that pink-haired girl behind that swords-woman in front of us. As long as you maintain a close range or close the gap you'll win your battle but: _do not_ lose sight of who you are. Maintain a level head to watch for details and do not lose faith in yourself, or else you become the very thing that you are trying to kill. It'd be preferable to take them alive so use your own discretion on whether it is possible or not. Do you understand my orders, _soldier?" _

More than chills went through the younger of the two Night-Raid members who couldn't believe what had happened.

Mine felt herself clench up in fear as the eyes of a boy...

No, not a boy. This was a man who had destroyed thousands in the Western Territories as the revelations were known to her now. Tatsumi had destroyed her own people at that standing mandate of his orders, under his Legion before her. She had researched Colonel Tatsumi 'Saber' and couldn't help but feel a hell intent resentment to a man, who killed the rebellions of her own people. Her parents both Imperial and foreign mixed to suffer under the same system that destroyed the lives of her own race.

It sickened her to think that this _boy_ could have been a member of their group: she refused those feelings and thoughts to end him for his crimes...

"Mine."

Her gentle voice spoke up as she looked to the purple haired Teigu user.

"I have hope that we'll get through this and do not worry about me: have faith in yourself to guide your way, keep calm and you'll do well. Do not panic, at all."

The young girl could only see the smile of her long time friend and mentor, keep her resolve steady in the face of this heart anguishing battle with a potential ally who made his intentions clear to her eyes. She would kill him if necessary to go back home and to be with those who were her family. Mine's abilities were going to be tested and she would not fail, in seeing a victory pull through for this fight as pairings were squared off.

The rainfall only increased as thunder boomed overhead.

With the clock-tower in the background lighting up the darkness of the park that befell all who were standing the clearing.

The sound of a blade being drawn from its sheath echoed in the open ground, Tatsumi only had to issue one word. He'd had known the weight of a single word but it never had this profound effect onto his psyche, the sheer volume of its scope only made his heart flutter in the sense of it unable to understand why such a thing had occurred. Why did he have to see the fruit of the sins that he had committed in order to atone by helping those who believed in the Good within the Empire? Was there not a great atonement than to die for the Emperor, to be loyal unto death?

Tatsumi's face hadn't pertained to the state of his heart, not once did he eyes soften or even remotely falter in their decision.

His eyes caught the eager pools of his friend, he gave the order to begin this confrontation and ultimately end it, as fast as he could.

No Glory could be made here, nothing could good came of this and for what it was worth...

"Go."

Tatsumi only proved that he was loyal to the Empire and the Evil masquerading alongside the Emperor.

That realization killed him on the insight as a horrible bitterness entered his mouth. He felt only a numbing sense of a throb of pain, his heart hadn't fully accepted what he was about to do but hid mind already foretold himself. He could only follow through, to accept the mantle of responsibility that his dreams required in order to see that hope come forth. It just caused his own body to become almost an automatic machine devoid of control and devoid of feelings.

He moved without seeing the effects of his words his orders and finally: his sins.

Both in the past and present.

Seryu roared out gleefully, "Koro _sick _her!"

Tremors rocked the small clearing, the granite path breaking apart as Koro grew in weight and height, having building muscle masses stretch the former small dog's body into a Herculean beast. The sheer roar from the beasts mouth, echoed into his ears as it charged towards Mine's position in the back as he moved alongside the Teigu's charge, ready to intercept the person that was the biggest threat in this fight at this moment.

His Saber gleamed in the lighting of the Imperial Capital's park, the rain consistently marring his hair to conceal the salty repentance of his actions.

And not a soul could witness it as his eyes were glaciers beyond frozen wonders.

The berserk Teigu slammed itself into the firing path of Mine's own Teigu, a firearm that he hadn't known the name for but he recognized its image in the book that Najenda gave him. It could fire beams of energy so potent based on the danger its user was in, he managed to have Koro's own regeneration to keep that edge into a stalemate for Seryu to take her own in a close combat. A two on one held that advantage for anyone in a fight for life or death.

This planning while simple in design, had the most crucial part to maintain its success.

He had to keep Sheele locked in combat, to possibly subdue her or...

He had to kill her.

Instantly the whispers came back damning his body and flesh, to damn him for his actions before ever becoming the man who created the Imperial-Sabers. That night as the eyes of those who damned him for his actions, came back to bind his soul into an eternal agony. Regret fell onto his limbs and the impossible cause came to those voices. Tatsumi had to atone for those who were dead by his hands, if he had been tarnished by Evil and could not escape its grasp than he would at least allow the Empire to see that better tomorrow.

_You're a fucking demon..._

_Nothing more than a monster..._

_Die in hell, you betrayer..._

For his sacrifice his sins to be understood and to have his soul, burn in hell...

All just for Seryu to survive without serious injury. Just for her to see that her view of Justice wasn't the way to survive her own pain. She had to see the way that if her path took, she'd become the very thing that killed her own father and to cause others in the same position as her, to consider her an Evil-doer who deserved nothing less than the taste of Vengeance. He couldn't allow such a tragedy and by-products of this corrupted system to create anymore suffering.

Nothing less of that would result in more people like him to change the Empire and to ultimately die, in the end for that dream to come to reality.

Koro drove the pink haired mixed breed back as Sheele attempted to slice at the Teigu's legs but his body had honed in on the purple haired Teigu sword-user...

"_I serve the Emperor, for my will is his own. I am Flesh and Steel, for I only seek to serve. I ask not for nothing more, but to be remembered in his name and his will, be done..."_

His Saber flashed as it crushed against the defensive hold of the Night-Raid member who winced, being pushed back from his battered body. A physical state was nothing to one who could seal their pain away in order to see what had to be done. Just as Tatsumi's heart ceased to even feel remotely grief for each of his strikes crushing the woman he considered to be a friend onto her knees.

He took in the features of _calmness_ that her eyes were seeing with clarity.

A clarity he knew in his mind that the woman was seeing this battle more clearly than his own gaze and for that detail alone: he could not allow her to make a move to assist the Pink-haired half breed, Mine whose very straightforward strategy to avoid Koro was preventing her from shooting Seryu who had automatic pistols of her own to drive the Night-Raid member back.

She was splitting up the distance between Sheele and himself.

Using Koro to keep Mine further back to keep herself in between his duel had gave this fight an urgent need to regroup. For if they were allowed to stand side to side, then this fight would become intensively close to one of them dying and Tatsumi would not allow it to happen under his watch. Dying here was unacceptable! Dying here would not bring his dreams and ideals to reality and he would _not abandon_ his friend to her fate!

Gnashing his teeth blood leaked from the corner of his lips as he bite the inside of his mouth to stop the screams on anguish to rush from his vocal cords.

Sheele attempted to slice at his legs, by spinning on her ankle to literally force him to turn his back on Seryu's position.

Guessing he knew what she was planning, the woman wanted to keep him unable to protect the girls back from being killed from behind. Unfortunately he knew what he had to do to prevent such a damned event from occurring in his eyes: his body remembered the duel with Esdeath this morning as the images of the General moving so quickly.

Sheele would have been quick to most but a simple truth made this even more anguishing.

But Esdeath had been faster.

As his mind replayed the duel in his mind again.

The Colonel could pull that maneuver off now...

"My apologies Tatsumi but I can not let Mine die here."

Her gaze a calmness that seemed almost unnatural.

And it only made the Colonel frown.

As the swords-woman got closer to his neck, he _stepped _forward inside the swing as Sheele looked on in stunned fascination to see the boy literally _step in _closer to his own demise. Her hesitation cost her the momentum needed to slice his body in half, but he didn't flinch as his eyes were colder than any icy storm could throw out naturally. She saw the movement as he _elbowed_ her face to the point where her jawline cracked from the strength of the boy, his form instantaneous as if he'd been doing it his entire life and she felt a scream build up inside her chest.

Blow after blow crushed her face and her teeth fractured as pieces of chipped tooth spat from her lips with a decent amount of blood.

It stained the jacket of the Imperial's uniform with her own life liquid...

He slammed her three times before her Teigu flashed in a light nearly cutting the young Colonel in half. He had flipped over her, maintaining a loose stance with his Saber pointed at her as he protected the back of the Imperial Police Officer whose laughter went unnoticed by the two of them. Koro had been smashed yard after yard, of earth as chunks of rock were followed by a stray shot of fire from Mine's own Teigu, the firearm supporter.

The rain hadn't let up.

It merely fell harder as lightning flashed above the fresh battlefield.

Blood had been spilled so quickly that Tatsumi hardly blinked while staring at her.

She blinked as the boy charged forward his eyes no longer the warming kind man that he was and so felt something cut into her arm as she bit down to avoid yelling out from the slash on her shoulder area. Her teigu had blocked the more serious lengths of the blade, but the speed of the Imperial made her realize who much stronger he had become when away from Night-Raid itself. She witnessed him before her crouched with his Saber stretched forward whose tip was embedded into her shoulder blade, as blood leaked down the length of his weapon.

"_My_ apologies Sheele but I can not allow Seryu to die or my hopes, for her. You'll have a _choice_ to either save Mine yourself or you die failing, to slay me. That much I'll assure you."

The woman could only stare in a flat out shock at his promise to her to see nothing in his face spoke of any feint traces of regret. He spoke his words on what would occur despite his arms that were shaking. Now possibly it was due to the strain of his longer reach as he kept his free hand in the middle of his crouch to steady himself.

Small traces of bloody droplets left his chin as the purple haired Assassin could see that his skin tone was pale.

Plus he was sweating so extensively that it appeared to be from a previous injury.

What could make him to strain his body so fiercely?

For it to be so injured that is was slowly killing him to fight her?

Her eyes witnessed him roll away as she brought down her teigu onto his previous position his eyes were cool, collected and utterly devoid of anything to be said of his interior state. He'd either mentally barricaded himself into his mind to forgo such distractions or he had secretly planned this, to take them out in order to realize his dreams of keeping the Empire together.

That second assumption made sense as such as it pained her to think of the kind boy to do this.

But she had to protect her friends!

For Mine and everyone back at home.

Along with their own hopes to fight for change to the Empire's tyranny alone!

She sped after him lunging at him at a pace that made the boy weave as he deflected several attempts at cutting his body into pieces and Sheele expertly used the handles on her Teigu to spin the scissor like blades that could cut through anything, as a means to force Tatsumi into a more defensive stance. His eyes hadn't changed throughout their exchange as sparks formed when his Saber struck her Teigu itself. She felt herself slightly overpower the exhausted boy despite the lack of silence they upheld during a duel of this caliber.

The tenacity of the attacks were growing more and more pressing with his eyes once in a while flickering to Seryu whose own fight was going well enough.

Koro had Mine pinned into the tree line making the young Assassin use cover from the Herculean arms of the canine Teigu.

Tatsumi mirrored the purple haired assassin's movement just trying to maintain the level needed to keep her at an impasse.

"_She's slowly getting an edge on me, its harder to breathe and I feel my ribs bending from the forces off her teigu. I know it can used as a sword, but what other properties does it entitle? Esdeath really hits hard, I got to be more mindful in the future to avoid combat after her 'lessons' and... oh shit!"_

Ducking nearly frantically, the double bladed scissors just missing the edge his neck as he leaned away from the near dear decapitation.

Back peddling away he felt moisture a warm liquid sensation run down his cheek and he put a hand to his face to reveal: blood stained fingers.

His vision blurred ever so slightly to have white edges appear on his peripherals.

"Damn...it..."

Forcing those two words out of his mouth spoke volumes the agony he was suppressing.

An two inch long cut on the right side of his face ran freely as the red liquid dripped onto uniforms chest area further staining the white clothe with his own life line. Coughing violently while gritting his teeth, the already half-alive boy could only wheezily inhale the air his lungs could take and his bones, creaked from that injury he sustained earlier in the morning. Fighting half-alive he rationalized would be too much trouble to even consider in the future. Not to mention he felt like a flimsy piece of parchment that was held barely together.

Sheele walked several paces in front of him brandishing her teigu before leveling it the center of her body to have the edges pointed at his trembling form.

Her hair concealing the half-moon glasses she used as the saturation kept her gaze barely visible, if she had tears: they were long since beyond their own sights.

"Stop forcing yourself Tatsumi. There is no need for you to die here. So retreat and live to see another day. I have no desire to end your life here but I will if must in order to get to Mine to safety. Do not make me regret in losing a friend again." Her words struck him hard as they made him fall to a knee. The painful signals his brain received from a good portion of his own body to make breathing became ever so difficult. Just as tremors from over using his muscles came to protest their commands from the brain to continue fighting.

He had to rest.

His body was only human.

Not like those who wielded weapons to make them beyond any human possible...

Because he didn't have a teigu to use to enhance his body like those of the Night-Raid Assassins or Seryu herself, he was fighting on sheer will-power alone mind his promises to the Imperial-Police Officer pressuring Mine into a hit-run tactical pursuit. Koro the dog berserker had all but leveled tree after tree sending the young Pink Haired mixed blood into a frenzy to get away she her body nearly got crushed from a side swiping punch.

Sheele followed his gaze over to their side as Seryu was chanting a single series of words over and over again: screaming it in such twisted delight that it made Tatsumi spit out some blood in anger over his warnings to his friend who was falling into her madness. He could only pray to God himself to give him strength fight for what was right here, he could only listen as the words of a system that the Empire held from the corruption in power washed over his ears.

"KILL HER! KILL HER! KILL THE EVIL KORO! KILL HER! KILL HER KORO!"

Seryu wasn't Evil, not at all.

No she wasn't just as he felt his uniforms overcoat move in a gust of wind.

This fight wasn't even important to the world on hand.

It was another daily statistic of a cruel, festering, disgusting system of power that the Prime Minister created.

They were the puppets that were dancing to the puppet master!

But this would not last!

That Justice would not stop here! It would not stop the change that was needed for him and for others, to not lose Hope in the Emperor himself! He inhaled deeply as a huge amount of heated air escaped into the colder outer regions of his face. He looked like a demonic entity heating up to prepare his body for a charge, despite the utter emotions running rampant in his mind. He shouldn't have been here, he shouldn't have had to force himself into a corner and into an impossible choice that made his very body reject his own will's demand to fight on.

How could he make an impossible choice that for intensively purposes reflected on this outcome?

Did he let Sheele by him and agree stand aside? For her to live, to save her remaining friend and family Mine? But only for Seryu to die because he refused to stand by her? Refusing to adhere to his beliefs and to find that hope was not impossible? For him to guide his new found friend away from the system that made her into what she was? All to do this and to allow hope to fade into the clutches of corruption itself?

Or...

Would he kill Sheele?

Here and now: to forever damn his soul to have his sins return for an Injustice he committed in order to obey the Emperor? All for the Empire itself that he wanted to have faith in? Did he betray that promise to see a better tomorrow, by murdering a friend to save another who did not deserve such a fate to be killed? To honor, her father in fighting the very Evil that plagued the country they both loved? A single question burned into his eyes, a single damned question that held the weight of hundreds of thousands of lives in on his shoulders for whatever choice he made: the end result was the same...

Death.

No matter what: someone was going to die here...

"How can you force me to choose an option, Sheele."

To speak of an absolution one must know what the outcomes they have in order to understand the end of such a way to endure its final outcome.

An absolution a person held by default meant they were free from guilt or even consequences of their own doing.

Tatsumi couldn't take the pain of whether this choice held the absolution to be forgiven for what he chose between in order to withstand, the consequences of his sins in order to become what he proclaimed for 'Hope' and 'Justice' for a system, that had to change. He made to make one decision to make and the absolution of it could only be justified by what the weight of his goals would accomplish to those who would never have to follow in his steps again. His path would end by the rights of those who could judge him for what he did and in order to do that...

He had to have the mantle of understanding and knowing the weight of: whether to allow a life, to live or die by his actions alone.

"I understand you are forcing yourself to choose between friends Tatsumi. You don't have to kill me to save yourself, we can have hope in you and still share a dream of change for the Empire. I don't want my family, my friends in Night-Raid to grieve over what could be lost but to be gained."

Thunder boomed above lightning cracking like whip to bathe the entire area in an ominous shade of blue and purple, as the temperature dropped once more. Heavy droplets of water hit the top of skulls, whose individual minds underneath the bones were varying for control of their own self-control for whatever reasons. The was nothing that could be spoken of the hidden feelings each person felt.

For each combatant felt for the other and in the gloomy darkness of this storm.

One of these individuals held his path despite the consequences it inflicted onto his psyche.

"Do you really understand that? I can't agree with it but do you: _know_ what I have to choose? Do you honestly know what I'm facing right now, looking at you?"

He looked up as Sheele widened her eyes to see a shell of a boy she had come to see as a kind honorable soul but this _thing_ in front of her wasn't even remotely close to that smile from a warm emerald eyed soldier she talked too. Nothing in those eyes depreciated the pasts between her own, as well as the fighting of those around them and he stared at her with the most faked facial expression she had ever seen in her life.

Tatsumi gave a small smile.

And it made everything that Sheele knew of him: suddenly become worthless...

It was mere of him slightly raising his lips but it made her beyond terrified as an aura of helplessness entwined within the boy's intent. This crushing feeling of such as it washed over her and his burdens, were all too apparent as she couldn't help but feel like she knew the boy's answer. Shifting her teigu in hand, the purple haired woman only prepared herself as the young Colonel moved into a _familiar_ stance that he had used against General Esdeath in the previous battle on the rising of the sun.

Unlike then when his eyes couldn't pick up on Esdeath's own movements. Sheele wasn't as fortunate now since now Tatsumi could _assume _what the purple haired woman could do dodge it. So amongst the darkness of the evening, it was here that he had experience to pull off the maneuver now and be able to take down an opponent. An irony that someone he cared for was going to die due to someone he hated, had pointed out his flaws within the stance itself. Using that knowledge the Colonel felt his heart almost cease to beat as his mind and body dropped into an offensive stance.

The storm roared further above their heads.

Rain water dropping more intensively and rapidly as the winds picked up howling the fury of nature.

Both combatants felt the ground quake as they looked together at the battle between Mine and Seryu.

Mine was caught in the massive limbs of the Dog-Teigu Koro whose master, stood behind the spectacle snickering to herself and she wasn't guarding her back!

Tatsumi realized this horror as Sheele bolted like an arrow shot from a bow!

Her speed going beyond what he could see as the Colonel felt his heart slow down to a beat.

"_No. Not again."_

Muscles tensing with his spirit wailing in anguish as the rage of a thousands of who he had ended their lives before the rise of his Legion of the 'Imperial-Sabers' had torn into his soul. The Injustice that ran freely in the world, within the Empire for all the Evil, that held the power to make the lives of its Citizens cry out in righteous fury broke the heart Tatsumi for the first time in his life: he felt _lost_...

His body moved beyond anything he had ever done as instincts and soul alike aligned into the pinnacle of human willpower as his Saber flashed underneath the lightning that split the skies, thunder roaring in the deepest parts of the darkness and the rain pelt his face: conceal the tears that flowed freely from his orbs that held nothing, an empty view into the very soul that had to make an impossible choice with no chance of absolution to be held to his actions.

Everything within the world, stopped spinning as Colonel 'Saber' shot like a bullet, his eyes trained on his target as he could see Seryu turn around to see the Night-Raid Assassin charge up her Teigu into a bright light, intent on cutting the will of the Teigu-Dog Koro who held Mine in its confined hands. Tatsumi focused onto the Imperial-Officer's eyes as her orange orbs were widening in...

Fear...

_You're just a fucking demon._

Terror...

_A betrayer of many._

Hopelessness...

_As just another monster._

The sound of flesh being **sliced** echoed into the air!

All the while as various looks of emotion watched the events unfold before them.

The tolls of the bell from the clock tower struck midnight as the tolls boomed from the machinery within as the day became tomorrow, a tomorrow where it would make the Empire flourish for all of its people to have Hope, to have Faith in those who protected them and shield them from harm. An ideal that would make every country-men look at each in pride, in hope, in happiness and the for ideals that would purge the very Evil from the heart of the Empire itself.

"_What...happened?"_

Sheele watched in stunned fascination and confusion when her heart lurched.

She choked as her forearms flopped to the ground with blood clogging up her throat as she could see the tip of a steel Saber just below her eye line.

The coolness of its length beneath her skin as arteries were sliced...

With veins snapping from their places and muscles, being torn as Tatsumi's Saber had struck dead center in her neck...

"Tatsumi, I'm..."

She wheezed as blood gushed out from her mouth and neck line drenching her a in a sea of dying warmth.

Another lurch of her heart to see a second blade ending her struggling coil on the mortal plane as his secondary short sword caused her eyes to dim.

Unable to breathe, to be unable to remember and most of all unable to cry as the cruelty of the world struck again. The truth of the world as its products of the corruption that was the system for the Empire, a system that had ended another set of lives.

One with the weight of sin that was staining his soul, all in order: to find an end to those that would repeat this dance of madness.

But unlike madness: that which could be forgiven and understood.

Tatsumi hadn't been mad, nor insane.

He chose this outcome.

And he chose to murder a life in order to save a life.

Murder would never be forgotten nor forgiven.

Especially by any who witnessed their families murder...

The woman fell face forward as both swords slid out of her body the sound of retracting flesh over steel made Sheele's closest friend, family and sister: Mine screamed at the event she just witnessed.

Her eyes were widen as grief, rage, hatred, loss and utter _damnation _at her friends murderer who stabbed her in the very back in a cowardly act! She couldn't believe it that her sister figure was lying motionless not even twenty away from her. With that bastard standing silently, over her corpse as it bled out. There was only one thing she had to do.

She could only scream!

To scream at the injustice of the world and the Evil monsters that were disguised as people who were kind, honorable who made the Empire a tyrannical rein of hell. Mine watched as she cursed, as she damned, she demanded retribution as she hated life and hated that very man who stood over Sheele's corpse with dual blades dripping with the sin of murder on their lengths. Her blood leaking just as loudly as the tolls from the bell-tower nearby in the young girl's ears.

"_What have I done?"_

Tatsumi's face had just become a stone face, nothing changed as he stared down at the corpse of a woman who very life was a by-product of the system that he wanted to change. Hoped to change, to give back Faith to the people of the Empire and to see a better tomorrow: how that ideal sounded so _hollow_ and _numb_ now. So forced, it was so faked, was so utterly wrong that it made him look to deeper within himself to find answers now.

Did this mean that...

"You bastard! You fucking son of bitch! I'll kill you Saber, I'll fucking kill you somehow and I will stop you! I don't care if I see you in hell, it's where I'll bring you...you fucking god damned betraying demonic asshole in hell with me! You hear me you fucker! Die!"

...He was evil, now?

Mine screamed so heart brokenly that it was all she could do as her teigu lay on the ground below her as the enemy dog creature held her firm within its grip and started to slowly crush the life of out of her. She screamed, raging to the world as the storm intensified over head. Her next statement made the young man only caused him to stare over at her direction, his hair shadowing the hidden expression underneath the shadows of his own making.

Lightning cracked as the words of a similar nature, inflicted the wounds to his very soul.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

Those words: so familiar and right.

"_I ask only to serve the Emperor, for his will is my own. And I only seek, Glory to the Empire. I promise: Loyalty unto Death..."_

That proclaimed promise echoed in his ears akin to an endless space.

Ignoring the truth of the young girl, the young Colonel looked over at Seryu on the ground whose expression was in awe at the sight of his face. He smiled painfully so that it caused his heart to literally just stop beating for a split second as he sheathed his short sword over his shoulder and he offered a hand to the Imperial-Officer who could only smile in happiness at his shaking form.

Her head crushing against the base of his throat as his Saber kept itself training in case Mine broke free of Koro's grip but it was pointless.

"I did it Tatsumi! I beat Evil, I avenged my father and I made the world a better place! I'm ready to give Hope to the people and to bring Justice to the Empire! I didn't lose control, as per your words! Thank you, thank you, thank you for having hope in me, to find the faith that I could stand against Evil, for my father..."

Tatsumi spoke his words low to mask the depth of his sorrows to offer the girl his support.

"Yes. You maintained yourself to keep, your enemy from killing me. I'm the one who almost made you lose faith in me, so for that: I'm happy for you, to have beaten the Evil that your heart wished to face and never lose hope in yourself..."

Somehow those words felt like spears impaling his heart and body, it just didn't seem the same now. Choices had to be made, choices that he whether he liked it or not: had to shoulder the burden of seeing that mantle of responsibility to give the Empire a better tomorrow. For without Hope, there could not be Faith and without Faith, there was no Hope to be given.

For the sake of his dreams, he had to move on from this and only be judged in death.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Death that looked, so much more appealing now than ever...

Seryu looked back at the struggling Night-Raid evil-doers herself before telling Koro a simple request that made Tatsumi only stare endlessly at the sight. Lines were drawn, where loyalties were tested and he held firm in the faith of the Emperor and for the Empire for he wouldn't give up on Hope for those underneath the system that corruption the lives of many.

Even if the lives that were ruined were by his hands alone.

If he burned in hell after life: then he'd be at peace for what he was trying to accomplish.

"Koro. Shut her up."

To bring change: a better tomorrow to the Empire.

The Dog-Teigu slammed the screeching Night-Raid into the ground, silencing her as her body broken under the strain and made her rendered mute-less. She was alive, barely but still in good condition to be interrogated for Night-Raid's Head-Quarters, Tatsumi spoke this to the girl in his arms as blood dripped down onto the ground. His own life-liquid entwined with his victim, his murdered friend at the hands of his actions and now sins in life.

"Keep her alive, Seryu: she might have information of their activities. Please?"

The young girl looked away before sighing regretfully as her orders were indeed still in effect as she nodded.

"Koro keep that _evil-doer _confined and good job, you deserve to feed on the body of this criminal here."

Her answers made Tatsumi break away from her as he walked to the beginning of the clock tower as it tolled into the night, striking the dawn of a new day and as he watched the hands of time move forward, his heart just quietly faded away in his ears. He felt hollow to be fair and it honestly brought back the vestiges of villages whose flames seared his face, as the tyranny of Evil made the lives of many utterly hopeless.

Walking to the base of the clock tower he picked up the scissor Teigu from Sheele's corpse. Both of her hands flopped to the ground yielding to him in death and for what it was worth: perhaps he could someone worthy to wield the teigu. He didn't care whose name, nor he didn't know what the future wielder would do and it just made things harder on him personally now. Almost feeling his stomach lurch he knelt down...

Vomiting as the stress of his body and disgust filled his veins came forth as the young Colonel trembled.

Distantly looking back Koro began _consuming_ the corpse that was once Sheele.

He continued to vomit.

With his stomachs liquids bringing up food, his blood and pieces of flesh that were failing to keep him together. Falling onto his side, his Saber clanked loudly against the granite covered ground as crimson streams formed to be washed away as droplets fell from his blades edges. Bringing his hands up they shook with adrenaline fading after effects as he just sat there numbly coming to terms in what he had done.

Blinking vacantly it hurt to breathe and not because of the wounds from this morning, it'd been a lot less to consider mainly now...

"I'm sorry."

Speaking to the dark heavens as lightning flashed again with thunder booming in the distance.

Spitting out a combination of vomit, saliva and blood the solder of the Empire sat there awaiting his body to rest up as his mind wished to end its activity for the night. He couldn't as he heard distant whistles appearing from the entrance of the parkway entrances: the Imperial Police had heard the commotions finally and they were too late, to save himself from the choices he had to do in order to see someone he cared for to survive.

Willing the limbs that were his hands, to be inspected and what not: he saw how stained they were now as crimson droplets fell onto the ground.

And in the flashing light of the storm, he saw a metallic glint ominously catch his eye.

His ring...

A so called 'penance' seemed worthless now as it glistened from the heart of the ruby as the blood gave a more living vibrancy that it caused him to drop them without any sort of resentment. He wanted to stop this pan in his heart he wanted to end himself this agony but a small thought crossed into his mind asking himself a question. While it may have been a sign of insanity, he listened to that question. Justifying murder didn't register with those who believed in Hope and Justice but the intentions were good initially until hell came forth to take him into its depths.

"_Would anyone else do things differently, so that no one would go through the same path?"_

Lying there in the rain with water running down his face and feeling nothing but a numbness didn't come to be answered yet. He still faced the challenges of moving on, forging on his own sanity to not forsake the promises he had made and would not turn tail at the sight of Evil. It may be within his heart, but it had no corrupted his intents on seeing the Empire have a better tomorrow. At this moment he had to stay strong in order to maintain his path and for that end alone, he'd have to face the consequences of his sins when the one who would judge him in death appear in that time.

Sighing deeply he numbly sat against his own weight of responsibility and could only look to the skies for some solace in what he had done.

Absently he heard something move closer to him.

And when he glanced over...

Koro had both hands of his brutish form to carry both Night-Raid members.

One of them a corpse and the other an unconsciousness prisoner who would either die in shame or die, for her beliefs. The massive Teigu looked down at him as it sat at the base of the tower, staring at him with its eyes as he could only look away. He couldn't even have the mind to pet the large dog for a job well done, he felt too tired to really care for the moment and to deal with the present as the sound of armored boots entering the battered park center.

Seryu was sitting on the opposite side of Koro who was chowing on the remains of Sheele, his gaze needlessly seeing the body slowly disappear into the depths of whatever the Teigu needed the flesh of humans for and he assumed, regeneration properties akin to cells. He didn't care anymore and what why should he? Tatsumi knew that he wasn't a scientist nor one of those genius entwined people that required a degree in the most sophisticated Imperial Educational colleges.

Tatsumi waited as the area was secured. As a soldier of his rank and presence took hold onto his thoughts in order to move on from the blood that stained the ground.

He had to move on!

Not for himself.

But for those who cared for the sake of the Empire and for the sake of those who had to have, Hope that Justice would be given to them.

"Whose in charge here? Within all you Imperial Police?"

A man came up to him within seconds, as it was a captain at the least.

The Imperial Colonel didn't care at the moment.

He just wanted to explain the battlefield here and possibly prepare for a far more dangerous presence looming in the capital tonight.

Seryu was petting Koro on the side while kicking her legs back and forth humming a happy tune as she seemed so proud that it made him glance away to the waiting Captain.

"I'm Colonel Saber, I'm stationed here under General Esdeath within the Imperial Palace. I was informed through my friend, about a possible criminal operation that she inquired for me to assist her. Her name is Lieutenant Seryu Ubiquitous..."

The man understood as he got interrupted by several of his subordinates. It wasn't long before ordering his squad to secure the entire perimeter of the battle as Tatsumi waited patiently for him to bring his attention back onto his orders, he allowed the man to maintain the chain of command. In fact he even apologized to him, despite the weather being down upon them.

It didn't bother him, not even before this messy nightmarish night.

"My apologies Colonel, if I cut you off and caused offense."

He seemed uneasy as Tatsumi just smiled gently at him, trying to ease the fearful expression away.

"It's okay Captain, I understand. But back to my report for you, Lieutenant Seryu and I awaited within the tree-lines to see if any criminals were to be flushed towards our position or possibly stumble upon us. We encountered two of the infamous Night-Raid members Assassins group, we defeated one who is awaiting to be interrogated next to Koro and the other has been silenced. I require the living member to be transferred into the closest prison cell and to be heavily guarded if possible."

He walked over towards the said canine teigu with the Captain who held the still motionless pink-haired girl under its grip and she was breathing lightly. The Imperial-Police Officer nodded at once at the sight before barking out orders to secure the girl in iron shackles and cuffs, to keep her restrained as the details of the fate of this girl made Tatsumi just stare endlessly.

"Sir, you actually _fought_ and _captured_ an actual Night-Raid member? Beg my pardon, but that's absolutely amazing to actually see someone of the army without a Teigu take one down. You must be incredibly skilled..."

"_Or lucky..."_

Tatsumi's mental bitter remark said to himself as he nodded regardless of whatever the Captain of the Imperial Guard was saying to him. He just wanted to sleep now, he wanted to forget tonight and just see the end of his time in darkness to be blissfully away from the world. Water raced down his neck line, soaking the bandages underneath his uniform and the blood stained clothing being heavier by the minutes under the rainy night.

"If it weren't for Lieutenant Seryu then I wouldn't assisting her such as here and a thing wouldn't be possible to be accomplished, Captain. You must be proud of your soldiers to have performed _admirably_ under such circumstances, you do you job right then. Let the Emperor smile on this day."

By keeping his compliments to the point and not withstanding the urge to reopen the freshest wounds in history, he kept his collected exterior despite having the eyes of a hurtful man who understood the price to pay for survival. More so, at the expense of his limited group of people called friends. Seeing Mine in irons and escorted into a huge mob of Imperial Police held an effect of indifference now. After all, he hadn't joined them and it was just bad choices the lead to this moment in the pouring rains. If he didn't try to reason why this occurred, the grief would kill him far beyond the horrors of a battlefield would do to him in the same time frame and it just...

"I can only receive such a praise from an officer like you and can only be thankful of your words, sir. I have to ask, were there any more assailants in combat?"

The Captain while far older than Tatsumi himself gave the young Imperial Colonel his full cooperation and attention. Which made a dim flicker of a smile appear on his lips. Perhaps hope could be given to those who did their jobs right, at the expense of the system corrupting the few that would do their jobs right and for that he'd give this man his respects: no matter how silent fucked this situation was.

"No. So be thankful that there weren't anymore. I can confess that anymore Teigu users and you'd more than likely find our bodies in this rain than be having this conversation right now Captain. I'd appreciate if you can securely handle these Teigus and have them locked under door and key until the Emperor decides upon their futures."

Just rolling his shoulder, he walked over towards his Saber on the ground as the Captain barked out orders to the other Imperial-Police who did what they were told. His body grew harder to move as he sheathed his blade, leaving only the remnants of blood on the ground as the water washed it away almost making it so that nothing had marred its surface.

A shame it'd mark his soul to be destroyed by those who would seek the Vengeance or Justice, for Sheele's death and it'd be on him to take the mantle of his actions.

"Colonel? Are you well, do you need medical attention!"

Stumbling to the ground making the elder man help him in alarm.

Tatsumi got up slowly feeding the effects of extreme exhaustion take root.

"...Yes...I might..."

Halfheartedly staring at the man he felt his vision turn black, when as a small nod granted him a warning to the Imperial Police Officer.

The back of his neck froze up as the Captain gasped in terror as an _icy crushing_ sense of power washed over them from the skies above.

Something that few above them as a massive roar of a dragon like Danger-Beast came flying down to land at the base of the Clock-Tower itself. The tremors alone made his head ache beyond what was humanely possible to withstand. It made him queasy again, almost a feint of heart but he stood trembling as the dragon like beast steadied itself as its master jumped down onto the ground.

General Esdeath began walking towards both him and the guard Captain who went to attention snapping a salute.

The look in the blue-haired beauties eyes were ranging from anger, to interest, shock and most of all her worried gaze as she took in his state.

This almost felt genuine as the last of his will leave his legs.

Tatsumi smiled softly before falling forward as the woman caught him immediately having his head against her chest.

He felt only a sense of peace in her arms as her heat rate _climbed_ in sheer anxiety at his weakness and the last thing his conciseness mind could identity: was the warmth that made him to sleep without a worry in the world. He didn't want to be alone for tonight as he felt grateful for the woman who had taken an interest in him and could only imagine a small blossoming hope that she wouldn't leave him just for tonight.

He blacked out.

"_I'm sorry, Sheele..."_

Almost all of his problems, almost all of his worries and his consequences ceased for now...

**End Chapter Seven.**

**Author's note: **Before anyone asks me why was Mine defeated so quickly in this version I'll explain it enough for you to overlook the other events.

Mine at this point in the original manga/anime is vastly inexperienced when it comes down to fighting other Teigu users and to be fair, her personality just makes things end up screwing herself over. She's very brash, immature and the full extent of her experiencing close friends dying is underrated in my opinion from a personal standpoint. People mature when faced with pain and problems like of this caliber, so her experiences are limited and whilst Tatsumi has done things to warrant caution. She didn't realize the full extent of fighting for her life on the line, at least not as more so when the manga continued onwards after Sheele's death at this point.

Tatsumi has a forced maturity that Mine doesn't have plus her Teigu 'Country-Pumpkin' doesn't act like an automatic weapon. Its a sniper if I recall right, so her single shot mentality and danger would be hard pressed to reload and shoot. Granted the Teigu gets more powerful in how much danger the User is in but it is based on the _user's perception _of danger and so her arrogance is kind of her fall in this fight.

Not to mention Koro's gap closer against her is a crutch to be exploited and Seryu is able to follow up without being tied down by Sheele in canon. It just doesn't get much more obvious to me when I throw in someone to tie up Sheele leaving Mine to fight a pair of enemies. Granted I may be a bit biased to some things in this manga but I didn't make it like it was over quick and easy. Mine gave Seryu a decent experinece but without Sheele's timely interventions.

If Seryu could take on Mine/Sheele to a stand still (in canon) and you throw in Tatsumi of this story: the outcome is literally decided for me to take this into a new direction.

Mine wasn't killed like Sheele but her role ultimately changes in a vast way from her canon-counterpart, especially when it comes down to Tatsumi. I've dropped obvious hints at times and more subtle ones in between the lines. Tatsumi has done horrible things before even reaching the Capital. If you recall right he had to subjugate or destroy rebellions in a large area, granted I won't say how. I hope a question is there as that question should be nagging at the back of your conscious.

'_Is Tatsumi a good person?_'

That question is what leads to a vastly changed mindset for Mine; bare in mind whose half foreigner (Western) based on her origins that the manga/anime provide.

Take into account: The Colonel has put down thousands of people in the Western territories! That would be Mine's own people and you add on what happened here.

Plus Tatsumi is the one _who_ kills Sheele, not Seryu and were do you think her place will be in the future because of that?

So...

Right away I got my World-War One Allied Helmet secured.

So I'm going to hide in a bunker preferably right away.

And start flaming.

Have a good weekend and be safe wherever you are at.


	9. Chapter VIII

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Eight**

Groaning silently Tatsumi warily opened his eyes blinking the blurriness that assaulted his vision. Painfully he inhaled a breath of air trying to get himself back into a more suitable state of mind. This took a few moments to really understand what he was feeling. Unfortunately a strained cough got him to realize the full extent of what his body registered to his brain, subtle agony.

An entire body ached with bones cracking in their joints and only to just pop back into place with a quick searing sensation of fire. His arms felt like lead weights, legs were completely numb and his torso colder than what it should have been normally. Fortunately all of his fingers were responding to his brains ability to send signals to his limbs, an instant gratification filled him. It was a momentarily quick sensation at the expense of shivers running up his back.

He felt cold...

So very cold that he reached the side of his head to ward off the shackles of sleep.

Placing his closest palm onto his forehead he felt a bit warmer, than usual.

"_That's what happened last night. In the rain with Sheele, Mine and..."_

Phantom muscle movements of how his Saber cut into the throat along with a follow up of his short-sword cutting the heart of the now dead Night-Raid member, Sheele. A friend in her own right and what came forth entered his mind. As fresh memories ran through as the feeling his dead friend's organ beat its last upon his blade. Those details brought back a cold sense of death inside his heart, he felt hollow and just flat out grieved to make a choice between two people he considered as friends. In making an impossible choice to determine the value of a life at the expense of his sanity.

So feeling his throat become dry with the taste of cotton racked the roof his mouth and it frankly made him feel less than alive.

His gaze on the sheets of a familiar bed setting as irony formed into his thoughts about this situation.

He was back in the spot that he wanted to flee in the first place but now...

Tatsumi didn't want to leave it for, a long time.

Not to mention he understood that his unconscious body had been carried back to the Imperial Palace into the quarters of General Esdeath's.

"_Well technically it's our quarters. I guess, I got to remember that."_

Again this one room he wanted to escape from to run from his problems.

To only run into the most shocking dilemma of all.

Tatsumi could only admit to this as dark humor, he needed time away from that spot in the Capital and if so find a way to come to terms with what he did. It wasn't often he actually felt so rattled to the point where he was sick with himself. Truly this had happened when he had first joined the Empire's Armies as a child nearly seven years ago. Back during a time where he innocence was what he knew of the world and how deep down it changed a man, when confronting the evil hiding within.

Staring through the cracks in his fingers did he feel the beginnings of a bitterness that crept into his mouth. Such times were when men held grief in their hearts and it'd only get worse as time went onwards. Shutting his eyes tears nearly feel as the guilt seeped forward nearly overridden his sense of thought, it really hurt to understand what he had done last night.

Tightly clenching his fists on each side of his body.

He cracked the knuckles to reaffirm his strength, to maintain his resolve until he died in the service of the Emperor.

Right now the time to mourn had to put aside, the world spun regardless of what he felt.

Tatsumi had to see if his body would be strong enough to even move around since he went way beyond his limits last night. So for that effect, he had to check his surroundings to start. Despite the fresh tears almost rolling down his cheek, a cautious gaze swept over the room. Only to see that he was not alone in the slightest way possible.

So blinking not once, not twice but three times to make sure that his vision wasn't completely shot. Hell it even took a moment to see something that just seemed so odd that to be honest, he had nothing really to say about it verbally. Really it seemed so out of place that a few coherent thoughts were having trouble forming the right words and details to this, odd sight.

As it stood the young Colonel found a few minutes to ideally identify what he was exactly seeing.

"_This is strange."_

Sleeping in a chair on the side of the bed was Esdeath.

With her uniform partially in place since her top half was slung into a corner with her cap. Her gray skirt was still on thankfully but her heels and socks not so much leaving her feet bare. As various other details came to light once he understood what she had done, barely.

The angle of her body suggested a restless night or rather a lack of comfort for such things and in between her chest was a familiar book of his. Tatsumi winced when he recognized that it was his _journal_ that Esdeath had been reading throughout the night while he rested in the bed alone. Possibly to avoid further injuring himself since most of this state was done by his own will. Now that didn't bother him too much, yet what did was the fact this woman had been reading _his_ own journal.

Just trying to understand that she wanted to know more about him genuinely seemed shady...

This sight just seemed awkward for the woman to be literally _there_ at his bedside.

It did give a truth to her proclaimed yearning love for him.

Maybe it was due to his injuries did he witness the gentle rise of her breasts that caught him wondering. Unblinkingly as he recalled her revelation of that tattoo marking where her Teigu lied as it moved in sync with the rise of breathing and the _pale_ tone of her skin that made her seem like a doll. That really got his attention as the lack of any sunlight made it seem so perfect that, it didn't make him feel any less curious.

Perhaps she had a natural pale skin?

Or what?

Tatsumi frankly didn't understand if that was her natural coloration or the lack of sunlight had that profound effect onto her body. It was more a fleeting notion to ask on a casual day. Plus that urge to wake her without a good reason wouldn't be in his best interest as he rationalized: he'd be less _stable_ to stand against her. Still a curiosity came to an urge to study her facial features when asleep, Esdeath seemed very...

Normal.

At least in a tranquil type of way despite the fact she had a gaze of a demonic entity that could freeze people alive.

"_Maybe I'm just afraid of her still, I doubt I can understand her attitude so quickly and it'd best to find ways to put last night behind me. Perhaps training or getting to know her on an informal basis? Like a Date perhaps? I have no fucking clue, just anything to ignore last night."_

So resisting an instinctual urge to panic the young Colonel only moved his sight to the balcony were the sun itself had just arisen. It seemed by a few hours prior based on the height of the warming circle of fire. Occasionally birds flew out of his sight but he heard them 'chirp' merrily and it made him a bit curious to see how the day would be now. It'd be better to move up and get around to find hobbies to pass the time.

But perhaps find out what the next assignment was?

That pragmatical approach to start working would only serve to ignore his problems from last night!

At least until he could get a grip on his own psyche for that matter.

Rubbing his wrists absently the young Colonel figured to see there was any spare clothing of his that was lying around and much to his pleasant shock, there was. In-fact he could only wonder how in the hell did another spare one get onto the very same spot as last night, it just made him quite happier to see that familiarized clothing and it made him a bit more amenable. Shifting lightly he moved the covers off his frame only to see fresh bandages on his sides again and more than few splotches of red stains on them.

Sighing deeply he could only smile at the _improvement_ compared to the first set and that alone required tedious care.

Maybe _he_ had to give a chance to this woman.

Supposedly he had so called 'charmed' the General with a smile, said woman who already was treating him differently from most people. Her genuine worry about him only warranted a chance for both of them to get to know each other. Underneath this willingness he still had to be careful because of his views on the Empire and ideals that could undermine the Prime Minister's rule.

If an opportunity came to shorten his reign on the Empire and fear the loss of power, Tatsumi knew his life would be less than healthy to remain in the same nation as the _creature_ of man. Truthfully it placed his thoughts into a more sourer mood, something that motivated him to ignore the world.

So he moved to get out of the bed before he froze in his place when he realized something rather alarming.

An icy feeling of _anger_ rushed over his senses.

_"Uh oh."_

Looking over towards the chair, Esdeath's eyes were wide open now.

"_She does __**not**__ look happy. Although not entirely angry either. I'd say a good thing but, it seems she's evaluating me?"_

Her eyes were _less_ than pleased to see him about to get up.

So doing the right thing he ceased moving, fearful of her actions.

Waiting for her to speak first while trying to keep the urge to crawl into the wall become prominent.

As this little staring contest of theirs went on for more than a few minutes as the two Imperial Officers sat in their respective places. Feeling more than nervous, Tatsumi figured to be the honest man that he tried to be and kindly initiated what he assumed to be a long conversation that might potentially, hurt him.

He feared that it'd be in the future soon enough.

So he figured by at least greeting her, to thank her for her care and essentially try not to flogged alive for leaving the quarters last night.

"Good morning. How are you Esdeath?"

His greeting and question seemed so cliche it hurt to breathe!

The blue haired woman replied in a bland tone that warranted caution to make him gulp terrified. Maybe it'd have been best to play possum until it was safer for her to be in a better mood. It voiced the fact that he already had a day knowing her and she'd be potentially pissed her off. Realizing a lot more was at stake than his mental state, he feared his physical ability to stand without broken ankles would be tested.

And Tatsumi had no desire to wear crutches for the rest of his life either.

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to be asking you Tatsumi? Leaving our quarters is _one_ thing but going out to_ combat_ Night-Raid members while having a nearly _pulverized _chest cavity is another and that alone, could have killed you. Since your body lacks a Teigu to enhance your physique. You're still **weak**.."

She trailed off sternly as Tatsumi resisted the urge to scoff, honestly weak in mind for sure but in body at least he pushed himself beyond the limits he could take. Merely shaking his head, the younger boy did what he could in order to appeal to the woman who could make his life a living hell, if she chose too. Add on her strength to crush his neck this didn't make it any easier.

Clearing his throat he did his best in order to explain his reasons.

"Believe me, if I knew I'd be encountering Night-Raid last night I'd have informed you on the note I left but it was immediate since a friend asked for my assistance. I made a choice to accompany her and encountered two Night-Raid members as a result. To be fair, you did not say '_Do not leave the bed' _from that letter, besides I wanted to explore the Capital since I rarely got the chance."

Esdeath's gaze darkened as he tried to justify his actions last night, making him break into a cold sweat as a sweet smile appeared on the older woman's face. Tatsumi again just felt like his grave was being prepared for a split second and the feelings only got a bit more stained. His heart beating incredibly quicker now as the woman sighed to herself shaking her head as if lamenting a decision to forgo.

That look in her eyes was more than horrifying when she mused to herself.

Which in hindsight to be correct for him to always, assume.

"I should have chained you to the bed with a collar and have the key on me at all times. Perhaps I should _rectify _such a mistake now..."

Tatsumi smiled laughing a bit fearfully at the implications of such a threat.

Now if she were joking he'd have been impressed at the severity of it but with this woman, he had no idea whether such a concept was true to herself.

So owning up to his decisions the young Colonel again answered in the best way he could in order to avoid the more _painful_ endeavors the rumors of General Esdeath's discipline implied if she got her hands onto him. Gulping down the urge to panic even further into the bed, he slowly chose his words but ultimately thanked her for her treatment of his wounds. The least anyone would do was to be grateful for such tedious care under another persons watch was back in his Legion they were immensely respectful to doctors and nurses when triage the battlefield wounds.

Tatsumi's inexperience amongst informal conversations were rare, more so with people he'd considered his superiors on the chain of command and he it really felt odd explaining himself. His words held a profound on the blue-haired General whose face did turn a bit red at the thankful gestures.

This was the least he could do for her to be _happier._

Acknowledging the fact he was being cared for by her. So in truth, it was easier to get used to her presence.

"Please you don't need to do that, at all."

He began before chuckling a bit contemplating his next set of words careful to maintain that grateful amusement combination that was struggling to form, "I'm just thankful that you took your time, your own care for me twice within a single day and normally, I'd think treating a person like that means I have to thank you. Really, I'm grateful that you are trying to heal my wounds despite my own _carelessness_ about how you feel..."

He smiled kindly trying to make sure that he didn't toe a line that landed him onto an aggressive counter-stance, he just went with the one value of the Imperial-Army, or rather what his Imperial-Legion had witnessed. This value was always there in the wings of 'Hope' and 'Justice', he wasn't aware of it until during a instances when conversing with his second at the time. His second in command who was in charge of his Legion while stationed here under Esdeath herself. It'd been a bitter reminder that he had been pulled due to his own values that essentially made him a target for those of the corrupted system under the Prime Minister's reign.

This ultimately staining the heart of the Empire.

But it hadn't effected Tatsumi's own Integrity.

A value that really emulated his resolve to do right in the world.

It mingled with honesty and kindness to form the basis of his informal conversations outside the battlefield. The best thing he could do was placate the stronger woman and possibly, understand why she was less than happy about him. He had to take this slow, to take this calmly and as naturally as possible to get a grip on his own stumbling spirit.

"Is that what you think?

Her voice curious but level now.

The Colonel looked at her smiling kindly once more.

"Yes I do think that and I can only ask, why are you upset? I don't know what else to say other than I could learn from this lesson about last nights combat and your own lessons from yesterday morning. If am I to be strong wouldn't that entitle I must find my own _choices_ to become that strong, if you wanted me to avoid being weak?"

His eyes softened as he asked those questions to the blue-haired woman who merely tilted her head at him, gauging his reactions and seeing whether his emotions were genuinely truthful. He had all the cause in the world to most people to lie, but if she wished to _love_ him then she had to _understand_ him in order to progress on that front.

Tatsumi could literally try to turn the tables on that fucking lard of a Prime Minister's schemes to foresee a brighter future that no citizen of the Empire had to fear at all.

"Oh really?"

Her next actions made him tense up ever so slightly wondering if he crossed a line somewhere!

Esdeath stood up before putting her hand onto his chest and then...

Pushed him down _hard _onto the bed as she climbed up to settle on top of his waist.

The added weight made him grunt a bit winded from the unexpected stress his body had to handle, but the woman peered down from her position quite intently consuming him in her thoughts about who knew what. She seemingly traced a finger up his sternum into his abdomen gently poking him at intervals as he winced every now or then until she stopped at his neck.

Almost taunting his ability to withstand it as the suspense hit: why she was doing this so suddenly?

His blood rushed into ever more parts of his body so quickly that when he looked to avoid her heaving chest so close to his proximity. His torso area nearly went from a cool temperature into an inferno of potentially unyielding restraint, which almost crumbled. Tatsumi could only quiver from the way the woman had interjected his observations about her.

He hoped that he wouldn't have his heart torn from its beating space within his chest.

"Who says you can choose whether you can become strong? As you are now, you're _weak_ and _vulnerable _to anyone who can overpower you: the Strong survive and all the weak perish. It is the natural order of things Tatsumi, so make no mistake my heart beats fiercely when I have you at my whims and will now. I wish to do so many things to you that it will make you _scream_ for more..."

The blue-haired Ice Queen did not stop there as her body moved on its own accord.

Startling the younger boy underneath her touch now tried to squirm away but a little too late.

She leaned forward almost pressing her entire weight onto his bandaged chest making his eyes wavering as he sucked in a hiss of air, the more powerful Imperial Officers aura practically slammed onto his own will and for the living hell of him he felt only a subtle excitement seep into his veins! The younger Imperial couldn't decide if it were adrenaline or akin to that type rush of feeling!

All this did was make the next few minutes just seem eternally unreal.

Tatsumi could only identify the two most prominent emotional surges that his mind understood.

His body held a sheer hot terror and having a blood chilling excitement.

"...until you are at that level. Until you are at that point to challenge me as an equal and until you are that strong you, my dear Tatsumi have no choices. You are at my mercy, my discretion and my ways, will make you strong so, that you will not care for those are Weak. They will perish and we will endure."

The younger Colonel stared at the woman above his body as he felt the very around them grow colder. Out of reflex he sucked in air that froze his lungs solid for just a split second. Then anger surged into his mind when that instinctual urge wanted to snap back, to challenge her on the field of combat and to prove that his beliefs were not weak not at all.

But in the face of reality he had to say the truth to her and for that reason he could only smile to dare her to try.

Perhaps insanity mixed into own his foolish brash youth or whatever could be excused for his daring attempt to walk the line on death. Tatsumi had always accepted the dangers and would overcome them, somehow when he found the strength stand against it. He continued onwards to challenge that danger, to overcome it and to win the battle on hand.

"Every person has a choice Esdeath, everyone has a chance to choose whether they become strong or weak. It is hope that can make someone choose to have faith in their choices to become strong and to guide the weak into becoming strong themselves. Everyone has a choice to live..."

His defiance didn't come without cost as the woman remained silent as he spoke staring at her directly.

A pair of emerald orbs met a pair of blue-icy glaciers.

Again neither of their owners backing down from their idealism's and beliefs: one or the other had to cave-in with time.

It wasn't a matter of whether they could fight to the death in battle: since neither were an enemy. A battle began between these two as it was not of swords, weapons or Teigu. A wordless struggle had been declared of the kindred spirit, if two souls who were on opposite ends of a spectrum were to be together than either one would be pulled. Their battles to claim victory would have to get someone to give themselves up to the other, but it meant defeat for one belief.

So that someone who gave in to the other would essentially have their ideals to be the weaker one, to bend.

Ultimately in the future these two Imperials were forced to understand and know that a choice had to be made.

Who would fall in this contest?

Tatsumi's breathing strained when the woman merely lowered her face next to his ear, her voice wasn't amused nor remotely irritated. No she was **delighted** to know of his defiance to her beliefs. She utterly endured the retort he had onto her words and only enjoyed the sweet thrills of him submitting to her. The young Colonel really didn't realize how close he was with death in its literal form.

That danger was there but it lingered within the shadows of one whose very gaze was of ice and it'd require the sun to thaw her heart out.

He could only hope for such a chance and to have faith, that he was doing the right thing.

"We'll see in time. For now, let us discuss you reward."

She put herself onto his side as he sat up clearly pale from the closeness of their bodies were during that verbal exchange. With the blood rushing to his ears the young soldier took a moment process her other statement. He could only imagine what she had in store for him to comply with her whims, he had to weather the storm and to have see that end of a better tomorrow. So he asked a hesitant question that relieved the uneasiness embedded into his lungs, their ability to breathe in warm air could only be a good sign and for that he took what he could get out of this.

"Reward? Is this from the battle last night? I thought you just said, you were against my actions?"

At his prodding the woman shrugged a bit enigmatic which only made him wary of her reactions this time around.

Her clothing still in a decent condition as her shirt left little imagination to the actual size of her assets, it made him try to maintain a clear mind when pondering a means to ignore them. His answer came in the answer of Esdeath who explained briefly on what had occurred in the Imperial Palace's leadership, namely the tales of his deeds had reached both the Child-Emperor and the Prime Minister within legendary time.

To be quite fair, the General herself was meagerly impressed for the boy to actually stand up against two members of Night-Raid.

Who were well documented to have their own Teigu in possessions.

So for Tatsumi to kill one and to subdue another without a Teigu was, intriguing.

"Why else did the Emperor summon you for tomorrow so quickly at the news and since your actions while ultimately to me, were _rash. _It's made reevaluate my planning of your training, so already it did garner _results_ when need be. So for that end alone I do have to reward my soon to be lover for his deeds that strengthened the Empire at its heart. Two more Teigu within our armories, two more means for us to destroy enemies and to put down that growing Revolutionary movement in the southern part of the Empire. Don't assume I ignore when those under my command win a battle Tatsumi, results matter and continue doing so will only increase your strength in the long run of things..."

She trailed off smiling to herself for what reasoning he didn't understand fully.

"At least I have time to consider my answer though what does this reward entitle from the Emperor? I've only ever asked to serve in his name, to earn Glory for the Empire. It's the only reward I ask to be remembered under his rule."

His words were immediate and held no restraint when used.

Answers alone made Esdeath shake her head silently trembling with laughter being suppressed. He found it offensive since he had to have faith in the Empire, for the Emperor and that had to keep him to hope for change. So inhaling sharply staring hard into the playful icy orbs of ice that only elaborated their thoughts which shockingly, wasn't that sinister at all much to his silent serious evaluation.

It only took a few minutes of her own will to actually begin to play with his beliefs and her excitement to turn him into what she wanted would be all the more satisfying when the time came for Tatsumi to give himself to her. She loved this part of a game, a challenging piece on a chess board as it were and to outsmart her opponents on the other end of the spectrum.

All of her victories had never eluded her.

It wouldn't start now or ever when these feelings of love won her the boy that charmed her.

"Glory is just a fancy, civil means that you wish: to kill enemies for your own hope to become Strong. To seek Glory, is to yearn for it in War and in the enemies of the Empire. You can dress it up Tatsumi but do not mistake a monster who yearns for conflict as a means to be remembered. Isn't that what Glory could mean to a person whose in the same shoes as your own?"

By ignoring that urge to rise to the bait if avoided unnecessary anger.

The young Imperial took a silent inhaling motion through his nose.

This woman was a General, her tactical mindset could be used to twist him into her own little version of an equal but that didn't mean he was ignorant to resist listening. He maintained a steady face deflecting the questions and the warped interpretation of the word 'Glory'. Every person had their own definition by extension so she wasn't right but neither was she wrong either...

A troubling aspect to a war of words that got him, worried.

"You never answered my question, what does this reward entitle from the Emperor himself? If not my wish for him to see me remembered under his reign?"

He ignored that small gleam of victory within the General's eyes despite his great reluctance to claim otherwise.

That inkling of showing her kindness would only fuel the opportunities she had to practically verbally or walk over him with his own set of beliefs and it only would get worse if he allowed her. This entire stance on whether her feelings were genuinely true, which flat out caused him a headache as things were so much easier before this mess last night. A mess that had tore out his heart nearly in every fashion possible, again.

So why did the aches slowly recede once he focused on Esdeath's voice on hand?

Within a moment of him asking as she twisted her body to merely provide him a better _angle _at what he could receive as his face became flushed. Oh she had offered herself in the most blunt physical temptation and that idea wasn't a good thing. Tatsumi had no sense of what he'd do to a woman in a bed. Not to mention he wouldn't take a woman into bed without at least getting to know her on a more emotional level. It was like practically taking a whore off the streets, without the need to ask her name before essentially fucking her into oblivion!

So his resolution in place with his words held the effect to make the blue-haired Ice Queen only smile tantalizingly as if the denial of her body hadn't only embolden her to tempt him.

"Offering yourself like _that _makes me to banish that question, please do not make a bad joke."

Tatsumi fiercely defended the notion at least the General wasn't a loose woman at least in the sense to use herself to tempt men for whatever lust or desires she held. It seemed unlikely she would give herself to a person like that on a whim but he wanted these confusing scenarios just be purged from his brain! Nothing in the Empire would make him more grateful to not contemplate the honesty of Esdeath's own experiences in sexual...

Okay that line of thought made him stop him in his tracks.

"I'm a virgin Tatsumi in case you were wondering."

He almost replied but held the answer to his mind, "_Oh bullshit. If she is, I give her a lot more respect than I intended to give about her love life. I get that feeling I'm really not capable in figuring out her angles to get me to agree with her._ _Ugh, I want to get away from this topic..."_

Doing what he could to give her the best impression of an indifferent face the Colonel figured to prod the answers about rewards that stemmed away from personal 'needs' or what not. Thinking about sex and Esdeath made him appear made enough to believe it to be, enjoyable. Shuddering fearfully of a mental image did his mind turn to the reward being offered from the Emperor himself.

The practical usage of whatever he needed for the Empire to purge the capital of corruption alone would be a serious boost in his moral motivation to see that dream a reality. Just what could he use if he was offered a reward without any sort of hassle? What could he possibly need in order to make it so that he wasn't taking advantage of the Emperor's faith in him? Many dilemmas were forcing themselves onto his imagination now and he had to really think about this in a more peaceful setting at the least.

So he took a deep breath in the mean time to calm himself down again.

"I don't know what I want. Truthfully, I wouldn't know what to ask for at this moment and I'd like time to consider it. Please can we do something pragmatic in the mean time to pass the day? Staying in bed all day doesn't seem very time consuming..."

Those words made an impression laugh come from Esdeath as soon as they were uttered.

"_Did I say something funny?"_

Out of all of his hesitant suggestions, this one struck something that only made the woman's eyes gleam _happily._

Perhaps he felt kind of awkward while trying to maneuver out of such a gaze.

She laughed loudly getting up much to his shivers going up at his spine, the young Colonel could only watch her pick up the uniform pieces that were around the large room. Esdeath didn't mind his gaze as he felt like he just escaped the proverbial charging danger-beast. Figuring to try to take his mind off her actions, Tatsumi went to his own bundle of clothing which was neatly cleaned and pressed to the point where it seemed new.

This caused him to inspect the clothing that he wore, when he made some slight observations about its texture and quality now.

His uniform wasn't the same one as the pieces of cloth were of a much more sturdier material now and he look at his overcoat which was on the back of the chair neatly hanging. He could feel a light weight to them but he didn't how it'd effect him to wear it. Slipping his shirt one followed by his own pants the young Imperial Officer could only ignore the gaze from the smiling Ice Queen herself and he gratefully didn't hear her try to grab him from behind.

Ideally flexing his wrists once the jacket, along with an overcoat and his own gloves fit contently onto his body.

Within a matter of minutes his Saber hitched on his hip, along with his beret in hand and his secondary weapon strapped to his back...

His blade from his village was missing!

"Did you take my other weapon?"

His accusation made the woman chuckle loudly while glaring fully the woman only waved her hand before giving him a vague answer, "Yes and do not worry about it. Think of if being improved when you find it comes back to your hands. It's a surprise since you defeated two Night-Raid members. Come now, we have work to be done with my 'Three-Beasts' to deal with the rest of Night-Raid anyways."

That series of revealing information only made him mystified since that blade was the last part of his childhood in his possession expect for that wooden idol of his and the memories laced inside his journal. Not willing to take a chance to make the woman impatient, he owed her to at least hear her plans out when it came down to Night-Raid and whatever interior schemes he might learn from the Prime Minister to possibly start finding out how he operated.

If he could take out the Minister's other puppets or allies from within the political arena and the Military it'd be a start to purge the Evil.

Walking by the tactical map of the Empire's borders, Tatsumi saw his personal journal near his other book completely parallel to some other spare pieces of paper next to it. Almost feeling that urge to add to his personal reflections within that book he suppressed it until when the time was right to actually have some privacy to writing and he kept his Saber tightly under his grasp.

He was down to one weapon and having his Saber taken away would be met with extreme _resistance_ to the last breath.

"What is the strategy for drawing out more Night-Raid members? Are we going to actively search the lands beyond the Capital for their base?"

Tatsumi inquired curiously as Esdeath opened the door to their chambers into the hallway.

Here his mind going to be processing the scenarios walking into his sight if he were to be going after Night-Raid than, how would she draw them out? Entice them? Possibly bait them a target so irresistible that they'd literally see the rewards over the risks? Perhaps he could make a few suggestions in order to be that the case, whenever she'd answer him on that subject alone.

"Not necessarily. We're going to be inciting unrest against them for the next day or so and following up with a target they'd not allow to die since they're looking to 'fight' the Empire. We'll see how bold they're going to be despite being down two members from last night. Why? Do you have any suggestions from a tactical stand-point, Tatsumi?"

The younger Colonel walked at her side clearly surprised at her sudden shift of input onto his thoughts on the matter. Trying to peer less than completely interested which, the woman only smiled ever so knowingly as his tried to find anything more to add to this plan while maintaining a passive expression. To be fair it got him to commence his own plans to possibly undermine the corruption that held the system in a choke hold that squeezed the life out of all the citizens and his fellow country-men.

That answer would be a yes, he had some ideas to make this situation turn out well.

If Night-Raid were angry or perhaps livid which he could understand that amount of grief but did he know their motivations to a point. It was enough for him to use it with his own needs, while exploiting this type of leeway to strike a blow at the source of the Corruption within the Empire's heart. Just to be able to sleep in peace in the future to give the Assassins group a chance to eliminate a tempting target that only everyone would benefit from in the future!

He couldn't contain a small smirk that would only relieve his stresses as he looked up in ponderous though to give Esdeath his full opinions. If she wanted to twist him around to mentally berate his dreams and still ask for an efficient strategy: he'd more than happily do it, all for an opportunity to do something finally productive to help the Empire from within.

Exploit an opening when the chance revealed itself.

"It'd be a solid means to draw Night-Raid out into the open, but without something more tantalizing for them act upon and what not: they did lose two of their members. If one had escaped, it'd be a reactionary killing to such a loss on their part but in order to potentially draw them out further they have to come forward. We need to entice them more to fully capitalize on their needs to strike a significant blow against the Empire. Use their anger against them."

Esdeath motioned him to continue as his gaze swept over into the window as they walked by them.

"If we're fully going to see the maximum chance of killing or reclaiming a Teigu from them again we have to make use of the Minister's allies. If some were to gather at any location where Night-Raid can't afford to lose their own allies on a political agenda, then their 'ally' to undermine the Empire would be at risk. So entice them, make one or two targets within their protective 'ally' to be far too tempting to resist and we use the 'Three-Beasts' and myself to draw them into close combat..."

This tactical suggestion would be based on emotional standpoints if he could use last nights results, to use it against the Empire itself.

But more specifically target the Prime Minister while maintaining his own partnership to Night-Raid: who would be more than willing to get even to spill blood for what he had done last night.

Tatsumi only felt a hollowed bitterness knowing that painting himself as a target would make them happily to agree.

Along with quite infamous allies of the Minister would Night-Raid send a force strong enough to eliminate Corruption and demanded answers...

Answers from him, obviously.

"Using yourself as bait is _not _wise Tatsumi. You're still weak but I'll confess, you're _smart_enough to know your own value from a commander's point of view."

Her tone wasn't rejecting nor even remotely scathing but only stating facts that were mainly true to stand against her. Her rapier-blade almost touched the side of his own saber sword when the two turned a corner towards another hallway, leading into some other part of the Palace he had seen beforehand.

It made him a bit wary of the placement of the Imperial-Guards in their black armor suits watching him coldly.

They were on duty and very serious in protecting the inhabitants of the Palace.

More so the Emperor if his heart believed in that and he almost didn't hear himself answering Esdeath with a solid few points of his own.

"My suggestions will work because _I'm_ directly responsible for the loss of a comrade on their end, so making a package deal in this case: of retribution, a quick victory and coincidence is what will bring them towards us. Leak out information intentionally, to plant their 'ally' in the same location as the Minister's allies and have myself there formally as a means to show Military support or whatever, that formality is for me to withhold. Have the 'Three-Beasts' of yours just shadow me within the location and you'll have Teigu ready for the Emperor's praises..."

Esdeath's response to his firm suggestion was of her to speak three words, "We'll find out."

Another chuckle as they came to the end of the hallway with a set of doors, they opened to reveal a staircase leading down into a grand-hall of sorts and to see a trio of black uniformed men awaiting at the base of the stairs themselves. Tatsumi resisted the urge to scowl openly at two thirds of the trio that he wished to not be in the same room again but for the sake of this tactical 'bait and hook' operation, he'd have to work with them.

Mentally fortifying his defenses to least speak clearly with the trio of black uniformed subordinates of Esdeath, the young Colonel maintained a professional passive face when they got closer to the kneeling men.

Immediately an aura of crushing depth appeared from the blue-haired woman her own face becoming a twisted mockery of what he experienced the past night or two now. This change gave him a true glimpse of what General Esdeath excluded when on a battlefield, it simply suffocated the reason to resist the utter madness and sadistic feelings one got when fighting a creature who adored violence.

He could only maintain a straight face forgoing to be passive in the presence of those he hadn't exactly gotten along well with.

They walked down the grand stairs as flames on the walls, the candles hissed when an invisible chill of air made them go out making the grand-hall itself get darker as she appeared before her most powerful subordinates within her Army. Tatsumi kept silent now as he had no desire to explain himself to these _scum_ of people or at least the two of the three he had problems seeing buried under a pile of earth.

The only one of the 'Three-Beasts' that he could even talk to at least minimally and be able to understand could've been the giant of a fighter Daidara. Tatsumi had a theory on what the large man wanted as a goal. It seemed to have a repetitive singular test to attain strength by gaining experience by defeating powerful enemies. This is what he had learned from the man and it was quite civil compared to the other two Beasts who already annoyed him.

So for that reason alone he had some hope that he could get along with _one _of the finest servants Esdeath herself had hand picked and that required some faith to hope for. Not to mention on his part to see where his input-to her stood at this moment when getting Night-Raid to appear in the future. They had time to consider it and it'd be best to see what happened next.

He awaited for this soon to be debriefing to begin.

"Lady Esdeath."

Her Three-Beasts chimed as one, utterly devoted to her presence and to always maintained their loyalties.

"My 'Three-Beasts' it is good to see you are alive and well. It seems now we're able to commence an offensive against the enemies of the Empire within the Imperial Capital itself. We've been tasked by his Majesty and his Minister to dispatch the criminal assassination group, Night-Raid. I'll go over the details in our operation against them but let me introduce my lover and future equal, Tatsumi..."

She waved her hand at the boy who only replied in a clipped tone not remotely interested in explaining his feelings on the matter.

His eyes were steel emeralds daring _one_ of the Beasts in front of him to crack a smile as the youthful midget blond Nyau cracked open eye at that reveal. Surely enough he frowned in irritation since he knew that in the days to come the youthful _creature_ would only dare to press his patience in taunting him and what not for hell to expect.

"We've already been acquainted since they know me as 'Saber' or 'Colonel and respectfully General, I'd like to retain those formalities please."

The woman raised her eyes in bemusement at his request before waving her hand in a positive manner that all the soldiers within the room could see.

The Three Beasts were silent when they adhered to their master's will, so they merely awaited more information to be patience wasn't misplaced as Esdeath went on while maintaining her sadistic smile that sent shivers down Tatsumi's own spine, her emotional state literally had turned on its heel since coming to know her personally and it made him question his own resolve to give her a chance to feel more like a person. He had his work cut out for him in the most dangerous notions possible and it'd only get worse.

"The Prime Minister's political rivals have been coming a thorn in his side as of late, so kill them and spread the information that you are to be given. This is to bait out Night-Raid and use the citizens own means to have them come to us. During this time, I'll allow the good Minister to have some of his prominent Allies garner a location to have some sort of political debate with their enemies in the Imperial Political arena. From there you'll be give a location to hunt down any Night-Raid members and to protect Tatsumi here if necessary, who will be posing as an Imperial Legionnaire to make the Army representation aware of the Politics in the Capital..."

She took a breath to gauge her subordinate's who hadn't even flinched at the orders.

The powerful General could only smile as a former General, Liver spoke up since the silence allowed for questions to spring up.

Her eyes gleamed in a way that made the young Colonel swallow his apprehension on what he just done to get himself into that gaze.

"My Lady, what will the young Colonel's role be on our way to such a location? His lack of a Teigu will be apparent, but I hope not a hindrance."

Esdeath's smile didn't wane as she looked to the person in question. She had given Tatsumi to answer his position and defend his own _results_ on the matter that hadn't been spread from last night. The young Colonel took it as a sign that having faith in a sadistic General to not tarnish her image. Soon enough that had been hopefully answered and he spoke up quite confident enough to make the 'Beasts' remember his own views on them.

Oh he wanted to tear the tongue out on that little shit-midget blond man who only could grin.

If they wanted to doubt him, he'd give that same retort plus more.

"I'll have you know my apparent lack of a Teigu does not need to be addressed. Last night I engaged two members of Night-Raid in an unexpected manner, able to be killing one by my own hand and have the other subdued by an ally of mine. As a result_ I delivered_ _two _Teigu back in the Emperor's hands and more for Imperial control. There's no need to explain my results, I could care less about grievances that come from a **sub-par** soldier..."

That smirk grew onto his face the young Colonel's stern words made a sense of enjoyment float into his eyes; if they wanted to view him as weak, so be it. He'd could tolerate the doubt to their looks of disdain and what not. However Tatsumi had a choice to make when dealing with these Beasts, he sent them a message.

If they wanted to insult him as a sub-par Legionnaire like the cowards they were, he'd have them eat their own words.

Verbally assaulting the old man would have gone on longer but Esdeath raised her hand in warning to make him fall silent.

He felt so much happier when he could stand against a person who considered themselves arrogant enough, it'd always satisfied him in order to bring them down a peg or two. Inhaling slightly he noticed the old man didn't even flinch at his words, or his own in the recent past. All the while it didn't make him angry but it only served to make an obvious divide appear between Tatsumi's view on them and vice versus...

"Enough."

Her command went immediate as she turned to head back up the stairs before speaking over her shoulder.

"Liver, come with me to my meeting with the Prime Minister. We'll handle the most suitable targets to hammer out and put in place. The rest of you, take your time to prepare yourselves and be ready once the sun falls you'll move out during the night into next light before receiving the location of where this trap for Night-Raid will be set. Now go and behave yourselves ..."

At once the three-beasts spoke as one, "By your orders, Lady Esdeath."

Tatsumi waited for Liver, the old man to pass by him whereas his eyes locked onto the young Imperial. He could see the disdain in their orbs, that old fossil tried to make him cower as he stood firm against the gaze of a scum-bag that was practically reeking of Evil atrocities beyond his own imagination. Not backing down in the face of Evil he adhere to as always and despite how much it hurt to move forward into the coming days: Hope hadn't faded into his heart yet!

"_Try it. Old man."_

His mental snarl didn't come to light as the eldest of the Beasts moved with his master beyond their hearing range and eventually leaving them for their own devices.

Tatsumi only could sigh to himself, this day and chance to take out of the corruption within the Capital had finally started to roll. All of the grievances, agonies, choices and what not had finally gotten him to a point where he felt like he was accomplishing something for the People of the Empire and to restore faith in the Emperor. Ideally it'd be best if he could clear his head of all the problems just waiting to compress him ability to able for battle in the coming days, so he figured to do the thing he didn't wish to do.

Another blood curling irony hit him hard in the heart, again.

"_Seeking comfort in the arms of a woman who eases my pain but creates so much more. Most want to get away and I want to stay with her. All to avoid to face the source of my actions that caused pain. Seems like every choice just is getting harder to bare, every moment is a fight to have hope and whether I can stand on my own to move forward." _

So it'd best to go walk the streets of the Capital and get lost, for most of the day.

"Oh _Colonel_..."

A singsonged voice spoke up in front of him as the said man only narrowed his eyes at the _miscreant_ blond youthful flute-user that began what he feared.

This little bastard was going to annoy him greatly for every moment in his presence and he didn't even bother to hear the rest of him. Carrying himself towards the halls Tatsumi distantly heard something that caused him to freeze dead in his tracks from the way it was delivered. He had to stop himself from biting his lips in rage as he glared at the doors leading to the outside.

The most sadistic and heinous of the 'Three' told a man almost akin a to musical that was being told about in a theater.

"Remember when you stopped my melody to those servants? I actually managed to give those poor, sweet little weaklings from the dining hall a melody of my own finally. They were absolutely _screaming_ at the sound of my Teigu giving them a song worth _dying _for and I believed to be my best performance yet. I should be thanking you as you did _inspire_ me..."

Nyau laughed so innocently enough that Tatsumi's eyes widened as past faces rushed before him!

Innocent faces...

Dead, due to his actions!

And seeing the face of evil, mocking him in the flesh!

He felt his rage boil over as he could feel that urge to kill that little piece of shit and make him suffer! Oh that urge was so much that he couldn't control the murderous intent washing over the room in a sea of fury. The potency on a level that no normal human could dish out without feeling the sense of utter hopelessness in its depths and it was aimed at a creature worth _killing _now.

Slowly turning as eyes beyond imagining made the usual warm emeralds into a cold mirror of indifference.

Beyond the outer facial expression of indifference, a piercing gaze of a beast less of a man came forth.

It was more of a demonic entity formed in the shade of his shadow.

Nyau could only smile at the beautiful face that was staring at him with the power of a storm and it only made him more excited to see how far he could go against it.

The Colonel turned on his heel began walking towards the smiling youthful teigu-user who only enjoyed the feeling of despair ooze off the boy. Every step felt like the premonition to doom as the lack of teigu only secured the smaller man's ability to be confident enough to taunt the boy whose very ideals were all sickening to stand and to see him sprayed with reality, was fun.

Nyau ould only enjoy that feeling ecstasy as he'd cut the face off of every person who smiled innocent, kindly, happily or even prideful of their ways.

Daidara shifted behind him speaking up before things got violently, loud.

"I'm not sticking around so have fun with your ways Nyau. I'm going to train."

Perhaps the man knew that leaving the two in private would only serve to fuel the fires of hatred between the two Imperial servants.

One more aligned to chaos, to sadism and be utterly delighted at the feelings of those whose faces he skinned to satisfy his need for blood. It'd only make the more tantalizing target of another servant who believed in the 'good' and 'hope' of the people, only to become the very thing that he was fighting against. Nyau just enjoyed the boy's emotions being compressed to the point where most would shiver in fear, but not him: this opportunity to have him try to kill him would only make his own desires come to light.

The most sadistic of the Three Beasts wanted to skin Colonel Tatsumi Saber's face off and make it a trophy!

All for the sweetest melody of all time.

So nothing more would make him satisfying to have in his life, to have such a thing before him to admire and to withstand the future to come.

Licking the outer rim of his lips, the small teigu-user looked up at the face of Tatsumi Saber.

And silence reigned for a few seconds...

Until the Colonel smiled ever so slightly that it reminded him of his own master.

"Well I must thank you for telling me this. So let me rest assure you, little piece of disgusting, festering, fucking **Evil** _creature_ that I will find a way to make sure your melody will suit my tastes. Now I will promise you, as that answer comes to me when I'm done with you..."

Tatsumi leaned forward as his voice dipped from a kind pleasantry into a hissing, mockery of a what a voice from a human vocal box could be said to be and it made Nyau have a familiar chill run up his spine. Only pure rage, while subdued and nearly ready to be unleashed made the smaller man realize a dreadful thought about this young boy.

He had a monstrous side as well.

One carefully hidden in plain sight.

"...your tongue will be the last thing that you have to be concerned with and don't worry, when you start to sing a tune I enjoy. I'll smile for you." Gleeful blond pupils met emerald and the two broke off as Tatsumi stormed to the doors with his Saber rattling within his grip.

The strain of metal only could be heard until the doors leading to the Capital of the Empire shut with a monster 'boom' as they were slammed shut.

And the one who had been promised a chance to heard for his melodies felt his breath leave his lungs.

Nyau only could smile savoring that moment to come.

* * *

><p>Sitting at the same bar where he had arrived on the first day of seeing the Imperial Capital, Tatsumi could only stare at the glass wall as various patrons were going about their needs to drink and talk about their lives. People whose lives were in jeopardy because of the system in place as the corruption of the very Evil that was going to end so many for its own gain and he couldn't save even the subjects of the Emperor in the Palace...<p>

Innocent faces that haunted him for trying to defend them.

And they were promptly killed when he was incapacitated.

Evil, so cowardly if made him question many things.

The Imperial Palace as the true heart of an Empire and he couldn't save those that were innocent from the clutches of Evil, close to him now and that he was to work with it made his entire body scream for blood to be repaid. The voices, the voices of so many who he had ruined because of this Evil as he had no choice but to follow the orders and to prove his Loyalty to the Empire. For the Emperor, to have hope and to have faith but had wormed its way into his very heart now. He could feel the need for it to be released, he could understand these feelings and it pointed to one thing.

Doubt gnarled at his resolve.

Uncertainty clouded his sight.

But it was the rage most of all...

That unholy natural sense of feeling had consumed him!

The very emotion he wanted to unleash unto the injustice that had been done under his watch! He could not save even those within the Palace from the hands of corruption as the abusive powers of sadists, rapists, murderers and so many other Evils that were on hand in the sight of the Emperor. Fists clenched so tightly the boy who was not, could only obey the Will of the Emperor himself to remain loyal to the country he loved and he wanted it to change!

Just to avoid the need to see an open conflict that would universally destroy the nation with millions at risk from the powers beyond the Imperial Frontiers.

"_If this is what the great Heroes of Old and the Loyalty of greatest of the Empire's Generals had to go through in order to see their dreams realized. I'd say its worth questioning the distance in how one must attain the means to see how such an end. Everywhere I go Evil is pressed against me, as doubt claws at my heart, with a confusion of words makes it hard to remain focused and my actions have only served to cause those I care for to be hurt..."_

Living seemingly made breathing harder, ever so more as his organ beat inside his chest.

Forehead being supported by both hands his elbows on the wooden top of the bar where a single glass of his alcoholic drink lay barely touched.

Always the same thing, a man to drown in alcohol if given the choice.

It'd been the same as his first trip into the Capital on that very day he encountered Night-Raid without even trying and he's wasn't in the mood to see any of them. Not at least until they'd come for his head, bitterly feeling that premonition and what made it even more sweeter for them if they sought revenge. So he allowed himself to be a target to take out the very Evil that became harder to separate from.

Was he an evil person?

Night-Raid would more than likely take him out regardless of the Minister's allies in the same area which was not that far off, if he could understand how hurt they were. Even now Sheele's face still lingered freshly in his minds eye that it just made want to be drinking away his problems. This wasn't as less appealing to consider what he had to do tonight He'd be witnessing more innocents die and it'd only make him question whether this was the right path to take.

Smirking sardonically perhaps there would be hope to save at least one life during his tenure here and it'd be more so, faithful to see such a sight warm his heart.

He had to choose his actions even more carefully now or just had to go all in, to see to it his dreams to be a reality in somehow.

So maybe this was how the old Heroes of the distant past had to go through, to be tested and battered against forces so beyond their own strengths: that sacrifice seemed meager to with-hold. Almost with an heart thundering finger tap against his face from his own mental commands to make him stare into the mirror on the wall of the tavern.

His own reflection looked tired but still young.

Did Hope and Faith have to make any man a fool?

A fool to see a better tomorrow?

Tatsumi grimly concluded if he didn't try than there would no hope at all.

And his drink called him to put away his anger for now.

"If I didn't see much a sight I'd say an Officer of the Empire with an expression of hurt would be something else. But, you fit the bill of both accounts young man."

The young Imperial jumped in his seat as a brief jolt of shock practically sent him into death's grip far earlier than he was meant for.

Someone came up from right hand side of the Colonel as the figure's tone was male and possibly a bit older than it let on. Tatsumi could only detect a faint '_solace'_ like feeling wash over him so he blinked a bit confused as to why a stranger would approach him on such notice. What made this more interesting was that this man or whoever the person was had robes of a bluish coloration and held. Along with a cross of sorts on the shoulders, stitched into a golden fabric of some kind. Well tailored if he had to comment on its quality.

"Who are you?"

He ventured cautiously as the hooded male only shrugged, "Someone not worth mentioning in public ears, but I'm a person who'll listen to a man whose lost his way. Don't worry kid I'm not one of those folks who hand you off to the torture chambers for saying his piece. So what troubles you?"

The man's voice kind and rather light only served to make Tatsumi wary of such a person and he held no qualms to tell this person off. However his kinder emotions won the day, so he took a deep breath in order to at least tell this stranger a few things to ponder, at least to get him some relief to tell _someone_ of his views. He doubted it do much within a small tavern in the huge span of the Imperial-Heart itself. Plus he had to vent out his frustrations onto something now or risk going insane later on.

Leaning forward, Tatsumi began with a few choice words.

"I feel like I've just lost my way, it's more a personal battle within my heart to determine whether my dreams and goals have any momentum to bring something back to the citizens of the Empire."

Immediately the robbed man only interjected quickly enough to be gentle but curious about this start of a conversation.

"Lost your way? You mean doubting yourself or what you're trying to do to help the country's people?"

Tatsumi shrugged but nodding his head all the more so as he took the drink on the counter to take a sip of its contents.

Coming to within inches of his lips the blue robed man stopped him from the need to drink and he looked at him in a curious manner.

"Drink after you explain. I don't want the effects of alcohols stupor to affect your words. Please, don't worry about my intentions: I just listen and try to offer answers, to those like you sitting in a bar."

Sighing lightly he placed the cold liquid down back on the counter top, the request went to his actions and he cleared his throat. Absently taking his Saber having it avoid anyone behind to trip over its length and he began to speak to this willing person who was sitting there patiently waiting. Might as well try to explain the goals he had for his dreams to come true as much as it seemed to be harder to maintain the path. Even the dangers seemed pointless if nothing seemed to be working, nothing would change unless he did something worthy to have it begin.

Or did the alcohol call him back?

"Everywhere I look, every time I try to help, ask or find any one convinced those that there is a need for change. I want to believe that there is good left in the Empire, there is Hope for those to have Faith in the Emperor and to see a better tomorrow. My beliefs are what guide me ever since I joined the Empire's Armies as a soldier when I was a lot younger. I wanted to become a 'Hero' and to save my village that was being plagued by debt..."

Taking a moment the young man could only compose his next words that were for intensive purposes the most private he had shared with anyone beyond his current life. Fortunately all he could do to ease his suffer was to tell the truth on whether he felt the need to understand what was 'Hope' and 'Faith, to purge the Empire and its hearts of the Evil within. Did he even have the strength to pull it off? Doubts clawed their way into his mind and posioned what little resolve could be said to ignore it.

Did he have a chance to choose whether his country could see a better tomorrow?

Tatsumi told this man what made him angry, a man who sat there quietly.

"I find it somewhat pathetic that my greed for money wanted me to even become a 'Hero' to save my village from the tax-collectors that came to suck the villagers life blood. I joined the Imperial Army at the nearest recruiting post I could fine at the age of nine. So I wanted to be that person who came back to save his village fighting the enemies of the Empire and to earn Glory, for serving the nation that I wanted to save it from itself. Is that wrong to be motivated by a sin to do good in this world?"

The Colonel asked levelly looking at the blue hooded man who gave a humming gesture to actually consider an answer from. He could respect the mindful gesture as the man gave his response in an actually understandable tone but almost _sure_ about his experiences. He wasn't arrogant or ignorant for that matter, he seemed to be merely understanding as one man imparted knowledge onto his student.

Or when drinks made men speak their minds.

Either way it was very, odd.

"You're speaking about a saying that I've come to see in most people. 'The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions.' You have those good intentions but you fall off into the darkness that leads you astray, in time you become the very thing you feared within. So ask yourself: Why? It is because have you done anything to warrant such words, such pain, once you saw the world as a soldier of the Empire?"

Apart from a sense of 'solace' that this man provided, he immediately didn't want to confide in him for hitting so close to the truth and it didn't need to be exposed.

Tatsumi only replied somewhat blandly. "I don't give out my secrets to those I meet in taverns and no offense, I have no clue as to who you are. Not to mention your own name eludes an answer to something I already asked."

Again another chuckle came from the hooded man merely making the younger Imperial Officer stare trying to figure out this man's angle onto him. Casually he waved off the boy's concerns with a gentle yet very firm answer that didn't do much other than make him feel patronized.

"Then keep your secrets close to your heart then kid. Let me tell you a piece of advice: 'Only a fool opens himself to those that can read him but it takes a smart man to allow what he opens, to be seen'. Just understand that, if those secrets are hurting you: in time they will utterly make you into the thing you fear to become and that requires someone close to _know_ why that pain hurts so much."

The tone ended with a smile as to what the young Colonel could only ask a simple question as he started at the blue-hooded man who drank his own glass of ale. Tatsumi felt like, this man knew what he was trying to do, honestly it felt like he understood but why? Better yet who the hell was this man to even consider asking him about a problem that the world literally was slamming him at very turn.

So he asked a simple question to which he wanted to know.

"Who are you?"

The man just replied again, deflecting the answer.

"A man who listens, its what I'm good for. But we're talking about you here, so go on: tell me what is your dream? I have some time to understand it plus I got the drinks here so at the least for your troubles, indulge me."

Eying him warily the young Colonel waited a few moments to adjust his Saber out of fear mainly due to him being watched. Glancing around at the tavern he witnessed several pairs of eyes _reacting_ to his conversation, that sparked an interest in his companion now. The lack of information was a risk but did the risk get outweighed by the rewards? Asking him that question wouldn't be easy but his actions would dictate whether he believed in that reward of an answer.

"My dream is more broader than a singular thought I guess. It's more of a belief, but I guess I can't compare it to that either. How can you define what is to be an ideal and what is a belief?"

He began hesitantly as the robed stranger let him take his time which eventually spilled forth.

"I want to have Hope, in the Empire and in the Emperor, to have Faith that my efforts are not wasted to have the country that I love fall to the ruin of Corruption and Evil itself. I want to have Hope, to restore Faith that those who are under the reign of the Emperor to see a better tomorrow; the Emperor has to see what this nation is nearly on the verge of collapse!"

Tatsumi looked over at the mirror keeping his voice low and contained as the emotional scars took their toll onto his voice and the look on his face was that of a man who had lost his purpose.

Numbing sensations hit his fingers first before his arms lost of that life and eventually making him hollowed.

"I thought I knew what this dream could bring, I thought I knew what the weight of it would be but now I see I'm more than likely going to die in some random field without that Hope being restored to the people to have Faith in the Empire and the Emperor, to see that better tomorrow. I've already made my actions become stained with the blood of those who didn't have to die, but I was ordered in the name of the Empire, for the Glory that is entwined with Sins. I may be loyal to the Empire to the end but only the God in heaven has the power to determine my actions as such to be in the name of Hope and Justice."

Dipping his head in near sincere sorrows as the boy tried to speak again but the man next to him cut that action clearly while swirling his own drink in hand.

He spoke with a clarity but aligned into a sympathy that held to most who understood the reasons. Reasons that were merely pertaining to results but they were not the means to attain those results the kid craved.

One of his limbs scratched his chin in thought.

"Well, in my eyes that is what you call an Idealism. An idealism that is pure for sure, the way to describe it. So to have good intentions but it is a dream nonetheless for you to strive for. There's nothing wrong in asking questions about your drive to reach that dream and unfortunately, this is the hard truth of that matter: you fear to **know **the costs of attaining that Idealism."

Tatsumi looked up from his position to stare at the man, who merely spun the liquid inside the glass.

"You're going about this in the wrong direction, kid. So make no mistake to see that change is coming to the Empire, is real. Oh it's coming fast and hard. In spite of all the conflict that will spawn if this change is to come, you are probably the only one who is looking for the most peaceful solution through the _hardest_ road of all: Hope. You want to have Hope in change in the current system, I wager. You believe in that so your Emperor which you hope who'd stand up and to give back a faith to the citizens to believe in him, so to give them a better tomorrow. I have a hunch you're wanting to end the reign of Evil, that is stunting his growth and to end the corruption that poisoned the heart of this Nation..."

The robbed man let out a brief pause before laughter erupted loudly to make the Colonel look on in awe.

"Is that what you're striving for, Kid? Peace? Hope?"

Tatsumi's mouth dropped in sheer disbelief! His wording wouldn't have been the same but that statement was what he would believe in! What else could he do? In order to see Hope and Justice back in the eyes of his fellow country-men and to see that Injustice be repaid in retribution of the system that could make every citizen flourish in the sight of the Emperor. That not only summed up his ideals and beliefs but it also gave him a nagging suspicion about what the hell was this man?

Who was he or who was such a person to talk so casually about change and have the ability, to inspire someone into seeing that road before him?

So he asked again honestly _wishing_ to know who this man was.

"Who in the fuck are you?"

Unlike his previous attempts the robed man didn't exactly completely deflect the answer. He only stood up while fishing out some gold coins and Imperial currency for the bartender who was busy on the other side of the room with a few other patrons.

The sounds of laughter bathed in happiness and affection washed over the two conversing men.

"Someone who will listen, who will answer if need be and if I have to, to intervene to keep someone from doing something very stupid. Alcohol isn't meant for kids, less so for those like you to spill secrets. All names will have a meaning to those who are searching or, waiting for it to give them the need to do anything. Take heart Tatsumi 'Saber' you have a good heart but you're a bit green in having a good time. Acting serious is good and I can see you will always strive for the best, its truly what this Empire needs but..."

He finished the last of his own drink to pause as Tatsumi stared.

"Hope alone doesn't fight for a change nor does it do anything. Words are words but actions meant for soldiers like you and those you have served with. Find those who will fight, since you cannot do it alone and for the record: I have a suggestion for you if you want it, kid."

The man started to walk away as the young Colonel immediately moved to follow as the apparent gold coins were left to cover the two of them. The blue robed person could only wave his hand absently as some sort of 'solace' feelings left the tavern as the people went back into their usual routines of sub-par emotional states and it made the Imperial Officer gulp in fear.

The eyes of the patrons who were watching him, faded away into vacant nonchalant looks and what not.

"What do you mean..."

The man cut him off easily as they stood outside the tavern were the busy streets of the people whose daily routine were so loud that he barely heard the suggestion. Even though they stood several feet from him, the young Imperial Colonel only detected a faint trace of a smile in order to keep his answer to Tatsumi, level and firm.

"You swore you are Loyal to the Emperor and to the Empire, right? So why don't _you_ show the boy sitting on that Golden-Throne the extent of his reign and make him see what this Nation has become. It's a fool's hope for sure, but it is hope nonetheless. My point is don't lose Hope yet for there are those who have Faith in it, still around somewhere."

He went to his neckline as a small clinking sound made apparent as a medallion of sorts was removed. Tatsumi looked on in disbelief as the man took the Colonel's still limbs to place a cool metallic item into their palms and he closed the young man's limbs. Heart caught in his throat with the sounds of the street faded away as he tried to form just more question, just one more: to ask a simple thing and he wanted something to at least call this robed man.

Just, to call him anything to even break free of this mind numbing feeling.

"What do I call you?"

The man smirked as a trace of his face was visible and Tatsumi watched as he started to walk away.

He walked without care or even having some akin to caution as he stopped about several meters away. The answer that Tatsumi sought merely brushing against his senses, but he was able to manage to hear the one thing he wanted to hear from the robed man. It didn't offer all of the answers, but it managed to get him more angered.

The Colonel swore this robbed man was grinning like a jester who'd had only strung along a person willing to believe anything.

"You can call me Blue. So good luck, kid..."

Tatsumi looked down at his hands to see them open to reveal a royal blue sapphire of sorts with an engraving that made him study it. He could see the symbol of the Empire within the sapphire itself, but there was something _different _about it and another symbol lay in the center of the Imperial Symbol which was a shied divided into four coloration's. Unrecognizable etchings of ancient Imperial text unlike he had ever seen were layered around the small jewel, with the Imperial symbol itself and he swore that this medallion was warm.

Very warm to the point where it glowed in the bright sun above.

"_What kind of danger beast is that?"_

In the center of the Imperial emblem it was something small but able to be described...

An Avian creature with wings spreading outward as the head of the animal seemed be looking towards the sky in the small engrained medallion and it brought, more questions. A lot more questions but it filled him with purpose and his drive to see where these questions would lead him. Sighing to himself Tatsumi looked up to thank the man that he called out to be as Blue.

Blue's form had vanished.

Gone like a ghost.

Or he had blended into the tens of thousands of people walking the streets.

"Blue huh? I think he was just fucking with me, he didn't even tell me a single about him. But what can I say: I wear my heart on my sleeve apparently and what good it does it just causes me to even harbor more pain. Least I know where I have to go now."

He had to find Night-Raid.

Tatsumi clipped the medallion around his neck and allowed the metal to settle against his chest underneath the clothing of his uniform. Breathing in deeply the young Colonel looked up at the skies to see birds flying without worry or restraint, he could only understand what it meant to allow such Hope to fly without abandon. A bitter yet calming sensation washed over him as he had to go find Night-Raid and give them information about the plans that were being set in motion.

And to alleviate the wounds that were within his heart as withstood the death of a woman who should not have died at his hands...

But she did and there wasn't a thing he could do other than to move onwards.

The world spun regardless on what he felt.

Tatsumi just moved deeper into the Capitals confines going to the place where he knew Lubbock operated and dreaded if he would see the next sunrise. Something crossed his mind as he walked towards that section of the Imperial Capital since he could only feel a sense of damning presences crush his skull from beyond his sight.

He had to face the consequences of his actions and answer for the sins, in life.

Mistakes could be forgiven but murder was unforgivable to those who had witnessed it.

It was the right thing to do regardless of what went onwards in the world.

* * *

><p>Mine coughed from her position dangling above the ground in her cell with her chest swelling as muscle and bones ached to keep her organs amongst the living. Her vision blurred at times as the chains holding her above shifted to her attempts to move, but to no availing notion did they even loosen. Panting when sweat leaked down her chin onto the ground, the damp smell of the darkness with a few torches lit in the large room. This made her to be a place inside a dunegon or a jail cell within the Imperial Capital.<p>

"_Sheele. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save you!"_

Memories resurfaced as her face twisted into an enraged expression!

She knew why she was here and why the death of her closest friend happened.

Saber, that fucking back stabbing bastard! It was on him and his head in what he had done! He was defending that Imperial-Police bitch so she swore to make him pay for that and for that end alone, she'd have his head shoved onto his own blade while taking out the girl she fought! Nothing less than revenge hit her heart hard, her desires to main and to get even with the bastard boy who had caused her to finally snap.

Imperial Soldiers, citizens and the Empire itself would burn if she could do whatever it took.

For her people dead at that bastard's hands!

And for the tyranny of this fucked up country!

Hissing in sheer frustration as the iron shackles bit deep into her wrists, she felt blood slowly drip from her attempts to move a bit. Her heart beat painfully in her chest, as the injuries had yet to heal from the slamming, crushing blows of that Dog-Teigu thing and her back still seemed numb. Inhaling gulps of air when she started to think about the bastard 'Saber'and what he had done in the Western Territories of her own people, her own blood and could not believe no one within Night-Raid had told her.

She deserved to know.

SHE DESERVED TO KNOW!

Mine had the right to know about that son of a bitch, Colonel Saber had done to her own race and for that end alone: her desire to kill the boy had sky-rocketed!

The 'Fair' Saber as he was known for killing thousands to save the others who would die eventually under the rule of the Empire? It contradicted what a fair or good man did in the first place! So those were what fueled his fame? "_What a load of shit_." Mine venomously thought to herself about such a man who was emulated and was even not hated! He wasn't anything special, Saber was another endless face in those who caused more death than peace! It burned her soul to be here in the bowels of this jailed hell.

Did those people, her own people that were spared see that unemotional face of a monster who killed friends in the name of Hope and Justice!

It meant whereas that Saber the 'Fair' was Evil itself!

Her fists would have clenched but her teeth crushed together as fire burned in her pink orbs.

"I'll...kill you, Saber. I swear it..."

Her words did not go unheard as someone replied from the darkness in front of her.

"Oh really now? Bold words from a criminal whose going to tell me where the rest of you lot are."

Mine looked up to see the form of a person coming to the light of the torches.

"_Oh god. Please, no."_

Prayers that were mute and pointless.

Her eyes widened as the smiling face of a well known figure amongst the Empire strode forth with a whip in hand. The serrated edges along its length gleaming eerily as Mine's heart caught in her chest, the face of a demonic entity so vile and utterly gleeful it made tears form in her eyes now. She couldn't believe what in the hell was happening now as her resolve crumbled into a muted defiance. Her soul trembled in the face of pure Evil, akin to that Saber bastard boy who'd be destroyed if she had her way with him!

General Esdeath smiled charmingly extending her hand to the chained Night-Raid member.

"Don't be like that, this isn't my torture chambers. You'll be moved there in time but for now, think of this as practice for the real _fun_ to commence. So, until then don't even give up an answer and allow me to hone my _whipping_ skills to adequate levels little criminal. Let's begin, shall we?"

Her laughter made Mine widen her eyes as beyond the door that lead to her cell.

The two guards felt their bodies tighten as the screams began.

And they continued...

No god could spare the hells being committed within that cell.

Screams that echoed into the next morning without a pause.

**End Chapter Eight**

**Author's Note: **Trust me, I could have gone into a lot more detail with the ending but I'd reconsider myself a sane man if I did.

Does that mean will you see a graphic scene like a potential torture situation? Possibly so, if I feel the need to extract a deeper hell for a character.

So unless Reviews wish for me to _attempt_ to do, it's unlikely at this point.

So I feel very confused on whether I should begin to start placing warnings when you feel bad for certain people. But I digress I've weathered the storm for now from last chapter (I'm still wearing the helmet and am always looking up) and have completed another chapter that is roughly ten updates from this point. Usually I feel the need to write one extra chapter before releasing another to keep the gap large and very time consuming to consider release dates. So let me move onwards from this semi rant/explanation.

Repercussions.

That word is going to trickle from here onwards until the end of the Imperial Saber, not really exciting but more akin to an absolute fact. I'll state a fact that you'll see more of a systematic perspective of people that branch away from Tatsumi (as the main focal point) as filler or as a means for me to expand outwards. It's really more of me to diverge more into other characters and where the effects of Tatsumi's actions ultimately alter the world's view (even we as readers understand it) he lives in. So changes do occur, at times small but it's inevitable as it comes forth in whatever shape.

Tatsumi's mindset against Night-Raid is a double edged sword as he expects them to take the bait and granted his suggestions are practical. Is this wrong of him to betray people he has come to respect and somewhat understand, despite the conflict between their respective factions? Its a fundamental concept of being loyal a cause that a person see's through while knowing your enemy. In this case the enemy is not just a singular entity of people so keep your wits ready.

Speaking of changes the man known as 'Blue' whose a character of **my **own creation. I have to ask, does he sound cliche in his introduction? Does he seem like a Gary-sue because that is not my intention at this point in the story since until the Three Beast ARC is done, Blue does not have an impact in a physical sense. It's imperative that I get characters to be believable and quite enjoyable for our main protagonist to interact with. I like my efforts at times but I always have doubts, its what makes me human and such.

So he is a character you should pay attention too, granted he won't make an appearance right away again.

That conversation they had holds a bit more meaning as does the one with Esdeath, note that I went with a direct approach to see the conflict expanding on a wider front. _Who_ is Evil in this story, who is the _real_ danger to people and why does it pertain to change in general? Questions will be conceived by everyone, so I can do but what I can when more characters are introduced for you (as readers) to decide upon these answers.

Again I'll foreshadow a few things that I've hinted at in this chapter, Tatsumi has a side of him that reflects all of us as people. We can be good at times and honestly do all we can to help everyone in a world that we deem to be twisted, so what happens the _other_ side rears it head for the _right_ or _wrong_ reasons? When that time comes, you will enjoy it or feel _uneasy_ about this side of an Imperial Colonel whose risen to his position in conflict. Akame-Ga-Kiru is not a nice place nor will it be clear at times as the manga loves to torment me.

The Anime is just branching off last time I checked.

Point is when something big occurs, repercussions follow regardless of what the premise of a story takes.

So with that I hope everyone is safe wherever you are at and have a good weekend.


	10. Chapter IX

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Nine**

Watching the line of caravans Tatsumi could only feel a glimmer of resignation to end this day. A small piece of himself was thankful this was the last of the targeted enemies of the Prime Minister to be silenced. His stomach churning mainly disgusted at his role in taking apart in his this mission. Even he'd been mainly passively while observing the Three-Beasts performing Esdeath's orders to the letter. All in all, they crossed a line that certainly made him bring his thoughts into a turmoil.

During this turmoil, every single coherent thought came to a conclusion.

These _creatures_ were simply nothing akin to being human.

Their sadistic pleasures in watching the death they created made it all the more easier to think.

Thinking of ways to consider killing them, painfully.

So despite feeling that urge to vomit, the young Colonel merely bit the inside of his cheek to maintain a most concentrated effort to be calm. Even in his current state while witnessing the Three-Beasts do their trademark duties. Excessively spilling blood for all their sadistic pleasures in the world to see. Basically they did this under the pretext of orders to impersonate Night-Raid.

Quite frankly, Night-Raid hardly left bodies on display like this and anyone with a competent brain knew that this didn't match their standard assassinations.

But blood was blood, it caused fear regardless.

Hell it even appalled him to consider they were efficient in performing orders to the letter, flawlessly.

They were extreme sadists relishing in the presence of their kills, enjoying the look of victims as they were killed and some had openly begged for mercy. Tatsumi had to remain out of sight of the most part as the killings took place, he technically couldn't order them to leave any survivors. All to the fact the Three-Beasts did their jobs rapidly enough before he could say a thing.

After all dozens were dead, many of them didn't have a chance. Tatsumi could have prevented some of their demises but physically, had been slow to actually keep up with them. They were intentionally doing this to spite him, to practically voice their own contempt for his defiance to their presence. Riding Noburu to keep up with the fast paced Teigu-users had been a necessity.

Now after two groups of targets were literally massacred.

There wasn't any sense to call them battles due to the one sided nature of it all.

It just made him more than angry enough to keep up with the fanatical Teigu users.

Needless to say this last group would at least have one survivor to spread the news of 'Night-Raid' killing the good people left in the Political circles. If he didn't at least try this time, then the few who stood against the Prime Minister would be effectively silenced once again and fear would rule the common citizen to take a stand against corruption. People needed hope or at least a chance to see if anything could be done to stop this madness, so he had to try no matter how dangerous it seemed. Night-Raid hadn't been productive as of late and it was strange.

The said group of killers were notoriously quiet.

Tatsumi honestly considered this to be more dangerous, professional assassins planning in the wings were never a good sign. Not to mention the time-frame didn't add up to the rest of the Capital, who usually had targets being requested to be destroyed. Losing both members Mine and Sheele made them uncharacteristically idle, the calm before a storm. It had gotten to the point where the Capital's corrupted politicians were nervous, hence the allies of Prime Minister Honest gathered for a party at the end of these killings today.

The lack of retaliation from Night-Raid also didn't make those who were would-be targets at ease.

Many were fearful of the impact once the chances of assassination increased.

So for the first time in a long vestige of time, fear had gripped those imbedded with corruption.

"Don't lag behind Colonel, or you'll miss the fun again!"

Somehow Tatusmi resisted the urge to cut the tongue out of the small blond menace called Nyau.

The blond man had only provoked him time again and again after _skinning_ the faces off those that were unfortunately alive.

Even after Daidara or Liver had dove into the scores of guards for the targeted Politicians against the Prime Minister. Every time they did so, it pressed that self-control that he desperately held onto in order to maintain a level head to see this operation through. He could only wait for now and when the time came he'd get his piece. So in the mean time he had to be passive as much as possible and when the time came to destroy the corrupted allies of the Minister within the next day or so.

The Colonel vowed to kill them.

He'd make them feel pain.

More than enough to make them feel their victims terror, tenfold!

Then he would utterly make that disgusting creature of a blond man, that little screaming to die when he was through with him. No matter how much he begged otherwise and even then if that creature died the victims wouldn't be avenged. Already so much blood were on the hands of these Three-Beasts it probably put his own body counts to shame, a fact that truly didn't settle well with the Colonel. Being considered a sadistic monster like the rest of them, it truly got him uneasy.

Even in the best possible outcome, killing these Beasts didn't justify his guilt.

Did this make himself realize that he was a monster?

The young Colonel wasn't emotionless, he wasn't taking pleasure in the people that were being slaughtered and he knew that the time to avenge these people would come. That opportunity hadn't arrived yet but if that chance came to kill these Beasts, than that alone maintained his discipline. Amidst the bloodshed did that little blond creature keep on pushing him towards a line.

A line he dared not cross, since it'd only end with a lot more bodies in the end.

"_Keep pushing me Nyau. Keep doing it, I don't care if I have to fight you on some distant island or the interior of the Imperial Palace to cut you up like the sadistic fuck you are. Don't worry, I'll come through on my promises to see those you tortured to be at peace in death."_

Although the temptation to cross it had nearly broke his will.

Glaring intensively at the said person, the smaller youthful man only grinned in appreciation.

His thoughts were becoming more inclined to release his Saber attached to his hip as it occasionally nudged Noburu's side.

Careful of keeping it ready since Esdeath took his former short-sword that he had since when he had it form his home village. She had taken it in her words, to be improved or something of that extent. She wasn't forthcoming on her answers to the questions that pertained to that subject, hardly at all revealing. Tatsumi just had to make do with what he had for whatever resources that were available in order to accomplishing the task on hand. A bitter moment crossed his mind as he honestly missed his Legion and at least he'd be more confident to find the strength to change the Empire's System.

However those thoughts made him realize something pretty crucial.

Just how?

The Emperor had not yet summoned him to ask for his reward for capturing the two Teigu. The offensive firearm Roman Artillery Pumpkin and the Scissor Teigu Ecstasy that could cut through anything, very powerful weapons in their own rights. Both of which were still locked away as far as he knew in some armory, away from potential spies that would steal them back. As he kept Noburu at a steady pace to observe the Three-Beasts, thoughts wandered astray. To put himself at ease Tatsumi reflected on the future mainly.

Rather the potential reward from the Emperor had offered him a means to prepare the battle against the Evil, within the Capital.

He faced a potential danger considering these options so it came down to a simple thing.

Would it be worth the effort to exploit an opportunity? To find a means to destroy the Corruption?

In theory he'd could accept it, but at what cost?

Slowly scenarios were appearing in his head now that he found a means to show the those within the Imperial-Capital that hope was still alive. An idea that his Legion that could be stationed within or near the Imperial Palace under the pretext of some other purpose. That temptation hit him fully, he had to consider all the options before evening forming an answer for the Emperor, whenever they met again to discuss the rewards being given out.

A cover story for his Legion's purpose perhaps?

"_I can see a way for me to have gather support for those within the Empire, to change the System and to be able to get the Emperor to open his eyes. If this reward that I ask of the Emperor can be broadened for myself to require more assistance, a Legion of ten-thousand men would do nicely. To have my Imperial-Sabers under my command again, to by extension General Esdeath, who'd I have to convince. If that goes right then I can say we need the 'conventional numbers' to blockade Night-Raid! Hell this is totally feasible and just creditable enough because of Esdeath's word alone, if she agrees..."_

Smiling privately the young Colonel thought about the actual reward he wished for to accomplish his goals and to get the dream kick started. Having a Legion stationed within the Imperial Capital wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, the sheer amount of resources on hand for the Imperial-Police were more than available to have that many soldiers on call around the Imperial Palace. The Capital had the logistics in place to houses armies if they were ever garrisoned inside the walls, on top of the localized police forces.

Majority of the surrounding areas were barracks or what not for the guards or whoever maintained the garrisons. So finding or making room for just another ten-thousand men would not be a strain on the Imperial Palace's own interior-forces, more than likely it'd be a shift of security measures that wouldn't make any suspicious beyond their own intents.

Tatsumi had to rationalize that if he were to wish anything from the Emperor personally, it'd be the command of his own Legion.

Literally nothing more would make him at least to stand firm against the Evil, that infested the corrupted Capital of the Empire. The familiar faces of those he hand picked, he served with, who he bled with and had faith in his dream. That reward would be a small yet very defining victory of a battle to have the amount of men behind him to possibly take on the Prime Ministers own allies within the Political arena. Plus as a bonus he could deploy his own troops within the streets of the capital to maintain a sense of 'peace' to stop any pitiful attempts at the abuse of power if a citizen reported it to his men.

But could it be done?

Honestly if this happened and the Prime Minister didn't consider it an immediate threat: he had the potential to have ten-thousand loyal soldiers within the confines of the Imperial Palace's location. The thoughts were a little hopeful in his opinion, but the rewards alone to have such a force loyal to the ideal of an Empire such as his dreams would only benefit him.

"_Not just me, having soldiers would certainly make things interesting. In theory if the Imperial-Saber Legion were to be deployed with the Capital the results of even beginning to purge the Evil, from the heart of the Empire would only call for a movement of change without the need to potentially end more lives. It's a slim hope to even to consider but at this point, I can't do this alone..."_

Going back to that conversation with that strange person, Blue back at the tavern a truth struck him hard.

Answers weren't going to come on their own.

At the rate he was going the Revolutionary Army would be marching onto the Capital, to destroy his country. Also possibly end the life of the Emperor who he had sworn to protect, to serve unto death. Tatsumi had seen the Emperor firsthand and didn't believe that corruption held that boy's mind. While a young ruler, experience could be gained at the proper guidance and Makoto seemed sincere in his actions to help him or at least willingly heard him out. The young Colonel could see the stunt of growth, that growth of maturity the Emperor needed to experience. Tatsumi needed someway for the boy to see what his Nation was becoming or what it had become.

Without the need for change it'd be either swords clashing against those who were once friends.

Or...

The very foundations of the Empire crumbled when the blood flowed.

So either way if his methods failed to come to reality then a conflict was coming.

There would be no stopping the endless scores of lives of innocent that would be caught in a cross fire between the Revolutionary Forces and the Corrupted Powers embedded in the Imperial System. This begged the question: could he stop it? The presence of failing the people haunted his thoughts ever since starting this dream of his, for change. It always had doubts in the sense that could it be attainable without the means to endanger the lives of millions?

Could he change the Empire?

With whatever people that desired to do so, no single person could influence that much in so little time.

Time always came to a halt eventually.

Did he have that time?

To end the Corruption or will it'd destroy everything it infected?

This was without having a conflict so devastating that it'd lead to the collapse of the very thing that held the world at its current form. If the Empire fell, if the Emperor or the government that ran this country were to be destroyed than how would the world react? It brought a question that effect the alignment of the World itself. The foreign nations were all but docile towards the changes within the Empire's borders, for now. When that collapse did occur as that uproot of power came to strike and he knew from a tactical standpoint the other nations would converge to carve land at the anarchy following in the Revolutions wake.

For over one thousand years it stood against the unknown regions of the world, one millennium of endurance and all for what? To have a System of Imperial rule crumble under its inability to change for the better? Did the people have to suffer that fate, a fate could've well been prevented for all knew? Could it be possible without the need to prevent a cataclysmic event that would shake the entire world?

Tatsumi only kept his heart steady.

The duty as an Imperial Officer provided resolve for now.

If the Empire could not change on its own will, then all hope was lost to find an answer.

If that happened then the Revolution would destroy the nation and cause the entire world to possibly jump on the remnants of Imperial territory. He could only take a deep breath while maintaining his course with his long time steed easy, the Colonel had to only imagine the outcomes if the Empire were to fall. Not of pity of those who abused the system but for the ones who held the Empire as a way to maintain their daily lives. So many would perish, forced to choose to join the Revolution or die at the hands of the very ones fighting for change if their were loyalists.

Loyalists those who were sworn to defend the Empire and fight until their dying breaths.

People like him.

As well the soldiers who were loyal, the soldiers like his Imperial-Sabers and those that fought for the good within the Empire.

"_If I fail then the Revolution that is building in the South will overrun the entire nation and possibly destroy it. Even if the Empire is overturned, the country itself will remain a potential free meal for the foreign powers outside the borders. I know they wouldn't remain idle at a chance to reclaim new territory and resources like fickle scavengers. I have to see what I can use but, will my reward come through?"_

One step at a time.

In the mean time the Colonel figured to keep his eyes on the Three-Beasts that were literally preparing for the last named target to be silenced.

Riding up to them as they stood on the outskirts of a village that had been suffering recently from that insufferable _creature _of a Minister's tax policies, therefore sending all of its populace into a decline of health. Basically they were starving to death, or selling children to pay off the debts imposed onto them. It was barbaric to say the least as Tatsumi waited for his time to observe the Three monsters again.

But unlike the other groups, he was stepping in after witnessing over forty people killed.

"Quit delaying us boy, I don't have time to remind you to keep your wits about you. Lady Esdeath's orders will be done, whether you want to observe or not."

Liver's stern warning brought the young Imperial out of his thoughts.

"Don't test my patience, old man."

The retort made the said man just snort unimpressed at the younger Imperial soldier who sat on his mount roughly five meters behind. The trip so far in the lingering darkness of night had been cold, emotionless and less satisfying to be within the confines of a warm bed. Tatsumi felt his soul just pull away from his corpse in the more metaphorical sense to see more people fighting the Good within the Empire to be slaughtered like cattle. Nothing less could said other than his means to maintain an opportunity to find more support against the Prime Minister.

"Everyone is so lively in the morning, I might sing a melody to lift our spirits!"

Nyau's childish voice grated on the Colonel who merely gave a glare at the midget's tone, even Daidara wasn't looking forward to the sadism that the youngest of the beasts held in his hobbies on missions and that spoke volumes, about the grisly details. Beyond that the small talk amongst the quadrant of people hand not gone beyond the realm of clipped acceptance of each other. There wasn't much of a civil existence to speak to one another, more so than the two thirds of Beasts who regarded the younger Colonel as pestilence on their orders to rid the enemies of Lady Esdeath herself.

Mainly it came down to ulterior motives to see each other dead.

In other words, Tatsumi was more than willing to personally cut down these Three Beasts.

"_If he as so touches that insufferable Teigu of his: I will cut it in half! It's bad enough they're intentionally trying to kill citizens and my country-men so quickly, to prevent me from interfering. I can only hope to see if I can do something to spread the word about the Prime Minister's actions on eliminating people who speak out. If I can't then killing these Beasts will only satisfy me."  
><em>

The path leading to the next village wasn't by any means clear.

As signs of neglect from those caring for the localized infrastructure were lax, or nonexistent.

Any care of the gravel road became literally rocky. Varied pieces of rock littered the path and other natural objects made one wonder if anyone had been alive to see the state of such a well traveled road. Tatsumi just maneuvered his horse, as best as he could to prevent her from injuring the soles under her hooves and having an injured animal was a bit much. Being extra careful he maintained the range he was at before watching the sun crest over the mountains to the west.

Nothing special came upon this day, just another bloody routine for the Empire.

Glancing upward to the skies to them dark as always.

"_You shouldn't have shown your face here, Tatsumi. I have all the reasons in the world now to just end your fucking life and go on my way, to dump your body in the canals."_

A familiar voice snarled at him in his memories, recently too.

Before evening beginning this mission, the Colonel went to go search for Night-Raids base within the Capital. Najenda had written down the details during his tenure amongst them, to explain his side of what had happened to their members. To be fair he had no idea as to what would be expected and it certainly didn't make him feel any happier to know when had taken the time to confront his guilt.

Literally just after meeting the man called Blue.

Did the young Imperial find the courage to find the Assassins.

And he did.

They didn't kill him on sight, but...

It wasn't a gentle reception either.

* * *

><p>Walking down another endless street amongst the Capital, Tatsumi could only grasp the sheer size of the urban center that practically funneled the endless military might of the Empire. He had seen cities for sure, he had seen towns frequently and he had seen endless fields of farms that spread over hundreds of miles he had marched with the Imperial-Sabers.<p>

But he had never seen this size of an urban center up close.

He had come to respect its intensive commerce and ability to house the millions within its walls.

Moving quickly he silently observed the stares of the people that walked by him.

Their eyes were staring at him in wonder, fear, uneasiness, curiosity and mainly uncertainty about his intentions on the borders of a slum neighborhood. The amount of these places saddened him briefly but Tatsumi did notice that the general population of the poor were happier to be in each others presences more so than the upper classes of the Capital itself. That fact made him more attentive to his surroundings, he'd had been guiding himself towards the sector of the massive city to find the group that he had agreed to inform in the Prime Minister's plans could thwarted or hindered.

He was searching for Night-Raid's meeting point for him: a bookstore or something in that regard. Bookstores were so common that it just made blending in with the population that much easier. He had to give whoever designed the hiding spots, they were smart enough to take advantage of the common folks daily routines to make them at ease knowing crime was down in the slums and to actually see people smiling in the capital was unreal.

Their smiles at each other made Tatsumi's heart beat much easier to see that hope could be restored somehow.

Inhaling deeply, the young man came to a point where he felt eyes watching him. That spine tingling when he was being stalked, perhaps being studied or more importantly targeted. He felt his hands tighten but made no moves in order to disarray any illusions of him being carefree. Idly he chanced a glance towards behind his back to see anyone standing out but the crowds moving on their way.

Intensive chatter filled the street as people went about their daily lives, he could feel the life flowing of the capital but he couldn't identify whether corruption had been snaked into this far down into the heart of the Empire.

A brush of wind hit his arm making him look over to see a familiar green haired elder boy merely lean against the building of another book store.

He blinked in confusion to see the half covered face of the information dealer and scout that Night-Raid held in their employ, Lubbock.

The older teen had his arms crossed while staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

He didn't seem to be particularly happy to see him but neither hostile.

A single finger pointed towards his right.

While Lubbock nodded to the door on the side of him and entering it himself, leaving Tatsumi feeling uneasy to walk into a potential kill-zone for his time. Feeling the weight of this confrontation, the young boy gathered any potentially dangerous thoughts in how he was going die and placed them at the back of his mind. He had to inform Night-Raid to take out some of the Prime Minister's greatest allies to strike back at the corruption.

"_Here goes nothing."_

Striding to the door he opened its solid frame and witnessed the windows, being covered possibly to conceal the blood spatter. Biting the inside of his cheek to set his resolve the Colonel opened the door to reveal the interior of an average looking business. As not a soul was inside purchasing the literature on its shelves. So feeling somewhat anxious he shut the door behind him with a prominent 'thud' and as the lock came into place.

No warning came.

None at all.

As a fleeting glance of cool metal trailed around his neck.

"_Shit!"_

Tatsumi choked violently as some sort of wires were hanging around his neck.

Lifting him ever so slightly off the floor, breathing became a fight for survival.

Clenching his fists desperately even though the Colonel didn't resist or try to actively fight off the serrated wiring that could easily slice his head clean off! It appeared that Lubbock wanted him alive for whatever reason. Being honest with himself, Tatsumi hopefully thought it was to give him time to explain his actions and possibly survive the next ten minutes if God was willing.

Pressure increased proving that wasn't the case.

God wasn't in control.

Lubbock held that power.

So if the Wire-Teigu user was willing to kill him. Tatsumi knew he'd be one step closer to burn in hell, regardless.

"You shouldn't have showed your face here, Tatsumi. I have all the reasons in the world now to just end your fucking life and go on my way, to dump your body in the canals."

Coughing desperately the Colonel gasped out words that were strained both literally and metaphorical in the sense as he tried to stare at the older boy who stood there: apathetic. His face not set in stone to kill him but more unlikely, as to what he wanted too do and for intensive purposes at his mercy. Which was a far-cry from what he deserved as Tatsumi wheezed in air, speaking in the clearest words he could utter.

"I deserve nothing less. But I still want to honor my partnership with Night-Raid for..."

The wires_ tightened _making him wince as silence withheld his tongue.

"For killing two people that we considered family, deaths that could have been prevented or avoided to make this feel that ending your life is even in trade? Tell me, why I should listen to you and do not say for 'Hope' or fucking 'Justice' because I will let you hang there to bleed out for the next day or two Tatsumi. So you better pick your answers, wisely."

The threat was genuine to the point where Lubbock had an uncharacteristic look of retribution on his face and it didn't look easy to contain it. The young Colonel knew that look, he held that same expression more times than most men twice his age and it only made him feel tears leak down his cheeks. How he could give an answer to a choice that was impossible?

How was that fair?

Nothing could have prepared him for that night and he'd be damned, to say he was a monster to not feel anything.

"I had to make a _choice!_"

Wheezing out those words angrily, he glared at the older boy who didn't seem convinced.

"Lubbock, how can you decide between the value of two lives?"

He kept silent as Tatsumi snarled out grief that was still fresh, still open and the healing for such an action would never come in this lifetime. It'd always stain him, staining his own words and his own intentions to save those from a system that created impossible choices for those to choose. Either way it amounted to the same **_damned_ **thing and it'd never change, unless someone shouldered the costs to find an answer for all to never go through that pain again!

Was that Evil?

Was that an act of Sin to take responsibility to have no one experience what he went through ever again?

"You killed Sheele. I overheard the Imperial-Police, they were impressed at your _skills_ to take a member of Night-Raid out single handed. Furthermore you are responsible for Mine's life now, if she's not dead by the next couple of days. I don't see why I can't get even."

Tatsumi laughed wheezing making the Night-Raid member pause.

Even as the motions made the small wires dig into his neck and he started almost hauntingly at the older boy. Who looked a bit shocked at the expression he was receiving from the younger Imperial. Blood almost had been drawn, the actions of the boy who wasn't a boy had only ceased to prolong his time amongst the living.

"Again you answer my question and I tell you how I _felt _about killing a woman who I considered to be the kindest person I'd ever seen. She didn't deserve it, but you tell me how to **choose** between two lives Lubbock! Fucking answer me!"

His reply just made Tatsumi laugh harder, tears or not spreading down his face dripping onto the floor.

"I couldn't..."

And the Colonel viciously snarled as laughter escaped his throat.

Then what right did he have to judge him!

"Then** shut the fuck up **about revenge! I had to make an impossible choice between two people who I cared for beyond for my own well being! You tell me, how you can decide on whether to find yourself to help someone to overcome the corruption of this fucked up system that the Prime Minister orchestrates like a demented Puppet-Show..."

He paused as the wires loosened making air crawl back into the young man's lungs.

"...or do you betray the very thing, that you promised to protect? I had to choose between a friend and another friend: plus my loyalty to someone that will not end in my heart until I am dead! I wanted to help someone see that there was Hope, that even in his world, Faith could restored for the Empire and to the Emperor for all people, but I realized at that moment."

Tatsumi cried feeling his liquid tears stain the ground with their impurity.

Nothing could be forgiven about murder and how the one who had to kill, feel about it. It made one into a monster and nothing less for monsters, who were to be put down or destroyed. Breathing loudly as his emotions boiled over beyond what he had done more so, than ordering the lives of thousands to their graves regardless of his intent to be 'fair' or 'just' to those that chose their right to rebel. He couldn't help but cry, cry for everyone that died on his terms and through his words alone. Both in the past, within the present and certainly in the future as time inevitably revealed.

What more could be said?

What more did Lubbock have to hear?

That the Colonel considered himself, a fool and an insane man?

A man who wanted to see a different outcome to a nightmare that didn't end?

"I realized that if my dream is to come true and I have face the consequences of my actions, it's more than likely to get me killed. All of **my** sins, all of **my** pain in my heart and all for what? To spill blood in the Emperor's name? A child whose nothing more than a puppet who I have to set free, to have him see that Hope is with me to give back to the nation. I have to give Hope, I must have faith that I'm doing the right thing: for the Empire and for everyone who considers it their home! So until that day is set..."

Looking down forcefully at the older boy who was staring unreadable at him with the Wires cutting into his flesh, the Colonel said his peace before allowing whatever the Night-Raid member who held all the right to end his life. He had that right, that Justice to commit to destroy the Evil, that killed Sheele and Mine!

Lubbock could call him the face of Evil and he wouldn't defend the claims.

"...when all the blood, the pain and the grief are sated. When the Emperor's eyes are opened and that change comes to the Empire, I will gladly allow _you_ or _anyone_ who desires my head on a spear-tip to do so. It's for the sake of Justice that I will see that hope will inspire Faith for both the Emperor himself, along with the Citizens who have given up on hope and so for everyone who sees that better tomorrow, is not impossible! I will die either way, so I ask for you to just answer me this."

Tatsumi wheezed slightly as his eyes became a burning field of emotions that made the Night-Raid member only harden his gaze.

"Am I a monster? Am I a monster for crying for the one who he_ had_ to kill, to **save **another life? Or does a monster, cry to save one life and to have **another** be killed? If you can answer that, then just kill me now and walk away! Walk away forever knowing that a monster _doesn't feel_ for the sins he has committed!"

These passions rose from his throat, revealing his agony, his hidden horrors and the weight of continuing this path had all but made him just stare into the assassin's eyes. Lubbock could only stare at him puzzled, confused on whether to bleed him out or let him go and to see the truth of his words. This little staring contest went on for several minutes as Tatsumi hung there waiting. Waiting to see if that his words alone could inspire just one person to have Hope in his beliefs and dreams, then it'd be worth to see that Faith restored again.

But this required...

The mercy of a person who could enact Justice for a murdered family member.

Mercy that he didn't deserve from those he had inflicted agony upon.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Tatsumi just waited for the moment for his neck to leave his body. Shifting mentally to see himself into an utter darkness already to accept that cold moment when his brain left his spine and once that feeling came to his concentrated efforts, it'd be the horror to know he was dead. His mind just accepted the fact that...

He fell to the ground!

Immediately coughing out of reflex as the glints of wires retracted to the Teigu on Lubbock's wrist.

"You're something else Tatsumi, really you are. I can't decide if you're an idealistic fool or just insane. You talk of Hope like its attainable in this nation and I don't care if you preach it. You brought up something that is hard to explain, I'll humor it. So until your day comes when that dream or whatever you say, even remotely appears. I'll be there to judge it, so if it fails regardless: you will die."

Lubbock then flicked his hand away going behind the counter of the business before turning to face him staring at him intently and Tatsumi got to his feet. His face set in stone as the lines of the wires dimly were visible, he had again stopped the brush with death. Coughing lightly he made his way to the center of the room to give out the information that Night-Raid would be able to use and hopefully, start the trend of taking out the Prime Minister himself.

What more could be done in this situation of a fucked up world?

As much as he wanted to deny it, he had little choice.

"In the coming days you will see political opponents of that _creature _of a_ man_ disappear or turn up dead. The Prime Minister and the person, who I'm under command of will frame you guys when the bodies start piling up. I'll be amongst the ones doing the deed and I'll do what I can, to save any but you have to understand _who_ is among in the Capital."

Lubbock raised an eyebrow, clearly interested to know more.

"Who's back? God?"

The sarcastic question made Tatsumi just snarl out a warning.

"You'd have more hope than me to see such a force help me, General Esdeath as the Ice Demon Queen of the Empire and she's my superior as of now. Don't even joke about God since he's clearly had it out for me for the past few days."

Lubbock's eyes widened as he felt a chill brush up his side at the younger boy's remarks, his words weren't in jest nor were they lighthearted. The young Colonel was courting death on a daily basis and no matter how much it played to its own tunes, the song of Death would come true to those who held faith in such hopes to die. The green haired Night-Raid member could only lower his head and honestly speak a truth, that made both boys understand the depth of such a presence. Lubbock wished he should have slit this young Imperial's throat, so it'd be easier to accept the truth of the matter.

"Well then, Mine is certainly dead now Tatsumi. She was being moved to an official torture chamber within the Imperial Palace's dungeons on special instructions for an _expert_ to interrogate her. So put that on your consciousness as Esdeath will be busy for a few days. So what targets are being exposed to us if they're letting _you_ observe whoever is killing?"

Flinching at the brutal reality of the young pink haired girl, the Colonel revealed the plans he knew of and hopefully to have Night-Raid take the targets out.

"General Esdeath's Three-Beasts are the one's I'm on this mission with and let me assure you I've got a score to settle with one of the little _**fuck-heads **_who killed a bunch of servants after I was incapacitated. When you find out where you see a few of the Minister's allies gathering in public with a starch political rival and have my name appear: that's the place to be. I just want you guys to kill the Evil and I will help take on the Beasts who dare to kill the innocent for sadistic pleasures."

Lubbock waved his hand in a personal manner before agreeing to the information exchange.

"Alright expect Bulat and have him wearing Incursio to take up the mission. He'll be contacting you since he has the invisibility of Incursio is a prefect espionage opportunity to sneak wherever and he still trusts you. Even though despite the pain you caused to us, I give him credit to have faith in you. So be at ease: you won't get stabbed in the back yet."

Tatsumi could only nod.

"Good. Now get the hell out of my shop and don't make me wish that I didn't kill you here."

That was all the dismissal he needed to leave the store to prepare for the night ahead and to prepared to take a great deal of Evil that infested the Empire. It caused him with a heavy heart that Night-Raid would more than likely take him out in the future, but as now: they needed each other to defeat the greater evil on hand.

But the truth still hurt to be a murderer.

And potentially, a real monster as well.

* * *

><p>"Daidara prepare yourself! You're up."<p>

Liver's order came out as the monster of a man grinned excitedly while moving up in the formation of the trio and waited for the line of guards to get closer. As the sun rose, it signaled that blood was being spilled this red morning and only a soul, could save a few amongst the living. Twitching his jaw left to right, the young man waited from behind the Three-Beasts that took up their positions.

So waiting apathetically on the exterior of his face was one thing.

But on the inside he felt nothing but a bitter disgust to over-watch, such carnage.

The first of the guards came up as they shouted in alarm to see the dark uniformed subordinates of Esdeath block their way and a prominent figure amongst the procession came out with a spear in hand. Tastsumi recognized this blond haired girl as the guard and daughter to the last target amongst the lists that were handed out to Liver. Possibly the last remaining link to the old regime years ago, the most prioritizing target amongst the list give out.

"_That is __Chouri's daughter Spear, Disciple to the Temple of the Imperial-Fist. The best training a person striving to be the greatest guards to those in power and a prominent recruitment center for the Imperial-Army as well. They usually get sanctioned assassins from this place even more so, least what the rumors state_."

This was Spear daughter to the former Prime Minister, who was an adviser of the previous Emperor years ago and had come out of retirement to fight against the current puppet-master behind the Golden-throne. Painstakingly enough Tatsumi could not save this man, but he could save someone amongst them to spread the tales of a person willing to gather support against the regime of corruption.

Mentally preparing for another gruesome sight.

The young Colonel watched as the girl appeared before Daidara who was laughing silently to himself.

This wasn't going to end well, at all.

"Who are you people? Bandits? If so, stand aside or be put down like dogs."

The blond haired girl spoke flipping her weapon at the giant of a man who just grinned. The lack of feeling from his face made the girl look up in shock to see the man literally swing his Teigu-weapon and send her flying back! The movement took three actions as Tatsumi had sparred against Esdeath to see that the speed different immediately.

He could _see_ the attacks but to block them...

Now that was another damned story to attain through his training with the blue-haired General herself.

The ax-like teigu sliced the girl down as she screamed from a laceration on her side.

And the weapon she held in her grip, cracked into a series of pieces when the giant man rushed the massive swarm of guards.

"_This is a slaughter, they can't even defend themselves from the Teigu."_

Another massacre as screams of the dying made Tatsumi act as Liver calmly removed the former Prime Minister from his spot in the carriage. The man's eyes were wide with hellish terror as he witnessed his daughter being approached by Nyau of all people who started to flipping a knife from his pocket. The most sadistic of the beasts merely spoke so chirpily, that the sounds of combat only further made him happier to give a warning to the girl.

Whose face struggled to maintain eye contact as the wound on her side bled out slowly.

"You have such a pretty face, little girl. I think you'd probably should have died because quite frankly, you'd wish now after I'm done with you. So, lets see if you don't die from the shock alone! Alright?"

The little youthful man stated happily as he grabbed the girl by the scuff of her jacket making her scream in pain and shedding tears as she got thrown away from the combative struggles of the guardsmen. Daidara and Liver were doing their jobs, very fluently again. The lack of screaming, or any survivors pertained to that notion but unlike the previous events: a change was coming.

A change that would no longer remain idle anymore.

Twitching his jawline Tatsumi got off from Noburu and headed towards the more, pressing matter to attend too. In stopping that little fucking miscreant Nyau with his sadistic pleasures of skinning victims faces off. He wasn't going to tolerate this shit all over again, he was sick of it and fed up with the observing of slaughters. Through his simmering rage came the orders that they were to only eliminate the Prime Minister's enemies.

Not to kill those protecting the rivals as it was _assumed_ to kill them on the Beasts discretion.

A loop hold he intended to exploit, viciously.

Spear's eyes were wide as Nyau only smiled before bring the knife closer to the base of her neck as a feeling of helplessness made the blond spear-wielder freeze up in disbelief. Her breathing caught in mid action as the knife started to slowly cut into her neck the blood of her veins leaking past down onto her neck. The hot fire of nerves being cut made her scream out in utterly gut wrenching intervals!

She closed her eyes as the blond youth giggled happily.

Only for the sound of another blade to be drawn.

That action echoed as the cutting motions stopped much to the blond girl's hitched heart-rate. For several minutes the lack of any noise made the lone blond survivor crack open her eyes as she witnessed a site forever burned into her memories. Akin to an act of god did something that was so utterly unreal, that it seemed like a dream than to be reality.

As she watched the images of a boy.

A boy no older than her stand behind the small terror that was going to skin her face off.

With a uniform bright as the snow matching eyes green as emeralds, a purity radiated among them as an unreadable face of but cold rage stood out.

Along with a saber pointed at the side of her assailants neck, Spear felt tears leak down her face.

That hope for a savior overrode her thoughts in that moment.

"Enough."

That chilling order made Nyau look down at the gleaming Saber sword which he saw his own dull expression on the metallic edges. Nyau was officially getting annoyed at the ruining of his fun moment and hobbies. This young Colonel really knew how to ruin his good days, he trailed his gaze up at the cold unyielding emerald orbs of a boy who _dared_ him to crack a grin. The youth took a minute to gauge his options before smiling eventually.

The younger Imperial lifted the saber blade at his neck, to nearly nick blood but it got the message across.

Stand up and move away.

"I'm getting very bored of you playing the _hero_ Colonel and quite frankly, it's getting old."

Nyau had stated this in a very serious tone unlike the childlike playful that Tatsumi had heard of him usually taunt him with. This was a good sign for him about the time to be pissing off the youngest of the Beasts and it finally, made him smile. Staring back with a smirk did the Colonel just reply in rather delighted tone to know. It'd be impressive to hide that willingness to escalate the confrontation.

"Good to know, you're beginning to understand how I feel. I'd explain more but if you dare try to do anything to that girl in front of me, I will cut your tongue out. After your head is on the ground _creature_. So **shut **your mouth!"

The smaller youthful man grinned sinisterly but did what he was told moving away from what would have been his newest collection of faces. Nyau considered it a shame, although a more tantalizing prospect came to him. Truly the girl had a quality about her skin that he found nearly desirable, but it wasn't worth getting a sword in the back for a time.

Eventually he would have his chance to make the younger Imperial Officer beg for his life and end it, beautifully.

Eying the smaller monstrosity of a sadistic thing, Tatsumi watched him move towards the other two who were just about finishing up their duties. Satisfying to know that none of the 'Three-Beasts' would do anything to him, probably out of fear from Esdeath and that urge came to eagerly see at least two of them dead, he'd certainly find a way to do it. So close did his control almost vanish, his eyes were damning them to try something as reality set in.

The young Imperial had to address this girl's wounds.

Noting that relief in her eyes as they were watering with gratitude.

Taking off his overcoat the young man sliced the sleeves off his undershirt to make a series of rag-tag bindings to stem the blood-flowing out the younger female's body. He worked quickly and ignoring the sounds of footsteps, he managed to put pressure on the wound within a matter of moments. Thankfully Daidara just glazed the girl but she needed medical attention to stitch the gash up within the next few hours at the least. He wasn't a doctor, nor a trained surgeon to actually heal a person and so it'd require them to travel, if they had a chance.

"This is going to hurt when I tie these bandages over your wounds. Try not to scream, please."

He gently informed the girl who nodded grimacing as knots stained with warm liquid, stemmed the amounts flowing onto the cold ground and the Colonel mentally praised battlefield Triage from the times commanding the Imperial-Sabers. If he hadn't learned of the counter-measures to extending a wounded soldiers life, they'd be panicking at the sight of this girl's own wounds. Her jacket was drenched from her own life liquid and the sweat marring her skin, he sighed to himself at the decent patch job.

At least she was alive for the time being.

But now the hard part came, getting her out of here.

"I tire of this insubordination you foolish boy. The orders were clear, to eliminate the targets and to report back for further orders. Must I personally _instill_ discipline into you?"

Tatsumi snorted angrily rising up to the three-beasts that walked up to him after passing out the fliers over the corpses lining the road. The blood forming into a small ponds worth of liquid volume and the leaves of the cooler mouths were blowing onto the pool, spinning like a twisted dancer. Nimbly pointing his Saber at the ground, leaving a small line etched in the dirt as he delivered a retort and an ultimatum.

Both which promised a painful attempt at them trying to force him down.

He wasn't afraid of this old fossil, so he prayed he'd die of a heart attack anyways.

"As far as I'm concerned the targets were eliminated. Survivors were _assumed_ to be our own discretion. Don't even try to scare me you old man and as far as I care for you, to even touch me: I want you to** try** too."

Standing his ground his eyes held a look of a man who would ultimately take his foes to the grave and make them suffer every moment. Not to mention he had a trump card which would have to utterly _agree_ with him. In that sense an answer came from the Prime Minister who gave him an expected shield in the form of Esdeath and for that end alone he could maintain his composure against the Three-Beasts.

Liver tried to dissuade him, "I suggest you end that _weakling _and that we leave no survivors that will..."

Tatsumi was supposed to be Esdeath's expected lover, or what not.

Unofficially he stood on equal grounds with her as far as the Beasts were concerned.

So he took a risk in taking a step forward, making the trio gauge their actions accordingly.

"All I have to do is report to your _lady_ and let us assume we pit your words against mine. I win, regardless of what you say to me old man. I can even offer her a trade of a favor and do what she asks of me personally, she'd be delighted to have me in her hands. All to just brush over this incident like nothing. She would agree with me and you wouldn't be able to disagree. I can kill those with or without a Teigu and to be fair, you're lacking the youthfulness to even try to _instill_ anything on me. And as far as I'm aware, _Night-Raid_ killed these people. Let me spell it out again: _Night-Raid_ killed these people! Understood?"

Liver tried to say something but Tatsumi was more than livid enough, to cut him down now.

"Take your **suggestions** and _**fuck off!**_"

The old man merely tightened his face before snorting after being silent for a few minutes.

It only made Tatsumi smirk.

"Don't forget we're supposed to gather _Saber_. I hope you lose your way regardless of what my Lady thinks of you and have a pleasant day."

The trio moved away from the Colonel whose face was the very definition of intense. Not once did he flinch at the gazes of the supposed greatest of Esdeath's subordinates and for once, he felt happy to be under her command due to the fact they couldn't touch him. Oh what an irony of seeing the most ruthless tactician as a means to protect his own skin and for what it was worth, he'd use whatever resources he could to win the day. Tensely waiting until they were out of sight, the young man sheathed his blade and got his overcoat back on.

Tatsumi painfully looked down at the half-conscious girl who gripped her side in discomfort.

"Forgive me, I hope you're aware that: I can only save so many. Let's get you to the nearest village and have those wounds treated, understand?"

His face darkened when sorrow drenched his tone, he assisted the girl onto her feet and tried to have her stand on her own. However her blood loss was a little too much for which she leaned onto him for support as her tears streamed down her face and the look in her eyes made the Colonel feel sick. Sadly he had followed her gaze to a certain headless corpse.

As she witnessed the head of her father, the real target amongst the dead.

A corpse of her own family and she'd have to bare the burden of witnessing it.

"Why?"

That one word made Tatsumi lift her off her feet making the blond 'yelp' in pain from her side. Gently carrying her towards Noburu who nickered at the smell of fresh blood on the ground and he held her bridal style to answer her questions. He knew why, oh knew why alright and it honestly disgusted him knowing it. But he had to spread the word about hope being alive for change to come forth and for the moment, this girl was safe.

"Why you ask? Let's just say, your father made an enemy that wanted to take him out and to frame a certain group that has been making him angrier. I'm sure you know who."

The resignation in his tone made the blond in his arms hiss out a few words that were full of rage and utter disgust. "Prime Minister Honest! That fucking bastard!"

So Tatsumi found the name of the who was responsible for nearly all of the corruption within the Capital nearly stomach churning, he hadn't known the twisted creature of a man's name at all. That piece of information just made him shake his head, what a mess he had to try to clean up now. It honestly just didn't settle well at all to have all this death, these killings to set up a potential plan and he had suggested to do in the first place.

Being responsible for having these people killed in the name of Evil, disgusted him to his core.

"Just to be clear _Night-Raid _did this. Night-Raid killed your father and _spread_ the word about it. The Empire didn't do this, it wasn't even the Emperor who ordered such a thing. Do you understand what I'm telling you, Spear?"

He said her name gently as he lifted her onto his horse. Getting up after her did the girl fell against his chest as he took the reins of his steed, her response was less than happy to know but something good came out of it. It caught him by surprise which honestly scared the hell out of him in order to comprehend her words. Her eyes were staring back at him, her vision wavering as facts came together to form a truth.

"Wait! Wait, that old man said Saber. Are you _that_ Saber? The Commander of the Legion: Imperial-Sabers, out in the Western Territories?"

She coughed a bit spitting up blood as Tatsumi used a piece of his own undershirt to wipe the girls face clean. Even as Noburu started into a light run towards the nearest village which was a short ten minute ride up the road from which they came from. The Colonel took his time as he merely replied over the winds, as the sun hit them full in the face. He felt like this were a dream, in how a person spoke of his coming. Had come someone who spoke of him learned his station while near the Eastern-Coasts of the Empire?

This had been a full half-a world away pending on the distance from his encampments with his Legion.

It took some time for news to spread, to be fair and how did she know?

"Former Commander now, I'm stationed in the Imperial Capital as..."

The blond girl interrupted him, revealing information that made him stare in shock.

"My father and I knew of who you are! News, along with directions had been spread of Colonel Saber of the West the 'Fair' and the 'Just' had arrived in the Imperial Capital. The Politicians who seek change are speaking of your name rekindled by your actions to change the people, to get the Emperor to listen to his subjects and to end that Corruption by that monster Honest! We were going to the Palace to hopefully ask for your help."

Tatsumi blinked a bit uneasy, "_What the hell?"_

The full weight of her words were coming into his ears.

"You say _news_ of my new station is being spread? You wanted my help? Just who the hell told you that, but better yet: why were asking for me specifically? Why me if you were on the way to take on the Prime Minister?"

His words were quite shocking more so the surprise knowing his deeds were slipping out of the Western Territories. Ah fucking hell, it scared him to see that much of his own plans coming to life but, the time-frame was slow because of what he assumed were political propaganda at the least. Intensively curious he waited for the blond girl to speak more as she shivered in her damp clothing.

Closing his arms around her to keep the warmth from fleeing the blond girl who leaned against him for support.

"Rumors were being spread by those wearing Blue-Robes. These people who were a few told of your tales in taverns or in my home city, anyone who listened or asked. It was at small public hearings, anywhere really and it was to stand with the Empire or join the Revolutionaries. These people were trickling over into the Southern Regions spreading the tales of you, plus other survivors or witnesses from the western territories spread news as well. Whoever listened to those Blue robbed folks continued to move and it finally reached us in the Eastern-Coasts."

Her body shivered as Noburu picked up the pace at her rider's request when he nudged her in the side.

All the while the young Colonel was processing the information.

He could only blink in a vacant gaze since this was unexpected. Honestly this news couldn't anymore unexpected since the fact that people were even speaking of him and his deeds, scared him. It terrified him more so and it effected how he breathed at this very time. It made his heart even hurt more, whereas the truth of his actions held the lies that were laced with the sins that were committed and that was more to it. What the hell did they want him to do? He stopped to think of such a thing as it was hard to do.

He scoffed softly since it was more alarming to realize how ignorant these people were, they didn't know of his past.

Granted he'd be a _better_ solution than most of the Evil in the Imperial-Armies.

But he wasn't a good person, not by a long shot.

Tatsumi got the feeling that the tales were a bit exaggerated. Mentally tearing down the image of him being a Saint or whatever the flying fuck that must people wanted to hear, it wasn't true. People who were that good in their lives deserved to live happily, all he had to live for was to meet the dark abyss of death due to the Sins he committed willingly. Murder was murder, blood was blood and Evil held many forms. It honestly gnawed on his heart, to doubt everything at times.

"You said people in blue-robes right? Any ideas as to who or what they are, since it's unlikely that the Empire's current system would allow such news to be spread. It doesn't make any sense in what you're telling me. Those that were effected by my time in the Western Lands weren't _enthusiastic_ to spread the news, about what I did there."

Those questions were provided with a well endorsed answer as he detected a smile on the blond-girls lips in front of him. He couldn't tell because the back of her head was under his chin, plus Noburu's faster gallops were making the motions hard to keep themselves still enough to inspect their faces. He had to assume otherwise, that the girl was listening to the smallest hopes of change that didn't involve the need to endanger more lives of citizens but, Tatsumi had been wrong before about the intentions of other people...

"You'd be surprised how much people can talk once they are spared from the effects of when an Imperial-Army conquests a town and are offered mercy. I heard from my father, he spoke of a young man who was fighting for, '_The Hope for change without the need for a Revolution to spill more blood of our younger generations_.' and he'd hope to find you because more importantly, you're a Commander."

She coughed again louder as her voice broke from the shivering that the cold winds were doing to her. Tatsumi put his legs closer onto her own and manged to envelop her enough to where her breathing was felt on the side of his chin, thankfully it was still steady.

She'd live.

As the village was within sight.

"_Thank god for small mercies in this world."_

One thing bothered him about Spear's father.

The former Prime Minister had said to her, an important detail that didn't explain itself mainly.

"What does that have to do with him, looking for me? I'm a Commander, so what does..."

Her voice was strained but it held the slimmest intentions for one who could **see **an answer and he could only understand _why_ that was an answer. Many Generals in the Capital or who were out in the lands beyond the said heart of the Empire had ten's of thousands of men under their beck and call. Hell even Esdeath had the standing armies in the Northern Regions and last time he checked, she had roughly over a hundred thousand men alone in the main-divisions of the Imperial war machine.

He didn't understand fully yet he'd listen what this girl said alone.

"You have an army! It's something many of those against the Prime Minister do not have. Influence is only as good as the strength to back it up and many have fled to the Revolutionary Armies that are building up in the South. There are so few who want to change the Empire from within and eliminate the Prime Minister at the Imperial-Palace, you have an army to surround him and we could kill the heart of this Nation's disease if the Emperor were to listen to us..."

The girl fell silent as she her lack of blood made her sleepy. Tatsumi didn't have the heart to keep her wake since she needed all the strength to keep herself alive. Her words were making him uneasy to accept the fact that a plan had prematurely been made without his consent, what she brought up would potentially incite a riot amongst his legion. He was fearful that if that such a were to go down, it'd be madness to maintain order throughout a transition.

"Just shut your eyes and sleep. You'll be in better hands, soon."

The Colonel could only grimly accept the potential for answers to be made. but nothing had been set in stone.

He still needed more help in the long run. Simply just threatening the Prime Minister by himself would make the Emperor declare him a traitor and then the full might of his sins would be in vain. Nothing was set, nothing was ready and nothing was clear in what he could do. Getting stronger took precedence over the future, at least thinking too far ahead would make the overall scheme of time get harder. So he had to squash that feeling of relief for much longer as his real tests were coming.

"_One step at a time. Use what I can and when I can do it effectively."_

Speaking this to himself Tatsumi rode into the village immediately searching for a doctor.

And he wasn't disappointed.

Soon enough and paid the man with his own money in gold, to get Spear treated within the hour.

But the next stage of the plans were to be initiated next, within the coming day itself.

Tatsumi could only prepare for something that got him again very nervous.

He a had party to prepare for on a civilian vessel ported in the Capital's docks to the eastern-seas that bordered the eastern-coasts themselves. This was going to require a lot patience on his part, to wait for an opportunity and to take see where the chances he gave himself to speak for the results. It was good to see progress and a sign for a small change occur.

It was a start and it'd end in a shower of blood, but for the right reason.

As Evil, along with the Corruption had allowed its guard to be down.

And to exploit that weakness for all its worth was the way the Imperial Military in the only manner, he knew how too.

By spilling blood...

**End Chapter Nine **

**Author's Note: **This chapter is what I classified as a slight-filler.

Its there to add more to the story from other perspectives or a lull between the main plot for a time. To be fair, this entire chapter would be apart of the next one I'd release for a grand total of Thirty-plus pages and that's way too much for a single chapter. I had to cut it short, to cut it down now and save the rest the inevitable conclusion to the Three-Beasts ARC. Yes, its almost done and many questions that have been asked will come to find an answer as to what Tatsumi is going traverse a path. Again I don't spoil, either way your patience and my utter quickness for releasing chapters will pay off to those who assisted me during my request for help.

Don't lose hope, I'll mention you in time.

But moving along...

_"The Ball is finally starting to roll."_

What does this mean?

Now for Spear (a very, very minor character in canon) she'll be around in the future so granted I'm not at the point where she ever makes an appearance but its planned essentially to come much, much later. Currently I am on Chapter Twenty writing it out and honestly I'm taking my time whenever I do a new chapter, trying to ask for advice/opinions on certain matters I'd rather not disclose in this author's notation. Her fate has been changed, another ripple effect will occur and you'll consequences of how this story is separating itself (granted slowly) from canon.

I used the basis for a timeline akin to canon, to have everyone follow through on where the story moves forward. It's really just to help you and keep myself on a steady course to branch off at intervals to expand the AU-aspect of it all. I'll even take this time to reply to a popular discussion amongst the reviews, pertaining to my own OC character 'Blue'.

Or the Deus-Ex Machina Character...

I'll be honest that's not my intention, never was and personally it presents an opportunity for me to explain his appearance.

Rather the lack of attention on him, the Empire is a super-power with millions of people and I have a justification for this.

Blue or these robbed people have not done anything _noteworthy_ for the Prime Minister or the Empire for that matter, to be arrested. They're travelers, people like so many others talking about rumors or gossiping. It's not a priority, Blue is just another anonymous nameless face within the Empire's borders and I'll put this in to a perspective coming from a practical standpoint. This is like the United State's FBI searching for Terrorists in all the states, I was a soldier so I kind of don't enjoy them probing my work place when they ever showed up.

Many faces will pop up but the more imminent threats are what are going to be focused upon.

In this case: Night-Raid, the Revolution and Political rivals of Honest. (Blue doesn't even factor in, nor do the corrupted care)

Blue is not a threat at least to people in power at this time and quite frankly why would they arrest or detain these robed people for talking? Thousands to tens of thousands of Imperial citizens do the same thing, so its a moot point and redundant to put that effort there. Hell the Political corruption has more interest to people than a few folks in blue-robes traveling around the Empire talking to willing citizens more at this time.

It's a waste of resources in other words, so moving onwards...

I'll be quoting Spear's statement: _"You have an army!"_

I do not think people realize the full extent of the premise creating a ripple effect, Tatsumi being a loyal soldier is the _largest_ rock being dropped into a pond per say. The ripples are large and then you tact on, the Army aspect to further create more ripples. Everything that we have seen in the anime (It's going into a different direction than the manga) is null or void, you can't rely on it. Having an Army is literally the best way for people to realize a couple things. Especially when the time comes in this story, the full weight of what Tatsumi is capable off (More so than his singular canon-counter part).

(A.) You're a threat.

(B.) Your views are going to decide whether you'll live longer or not.

(C.) You have an Army! A large force of soldiers loyal to yourself, granted Tatsumi did not go that route but many will follow him into Hell and back.

The scale is getting larger, I kind of brushed it off at times when mentioned his an Officer/Colonel of the Empire.

Eventually its going to peak in the future, more so the Strongest General of the Empire (I have doubts since Budo is quite powerful) will have her role changed.

Esdeath's role is ultimately going to influence Tatsumi's own success, or failure if you're that devious to wonder. In other word's she going to _influence him _despite denying or accept it on a mental level. So I'm taking a big risk in _adding_ more depth to Esdeath whenever she talks or spends time with the boy. So granted the fan-boy in me as much as I deny it, wants to have a happy relationship or what not. But I'm not caving into that path, it's going to be a gradual incline and a growth of Tatsumi trying to make a bad situation into a practical one.

Note I did not say 'good' because there's a lot more to them both in the future.

Just be aware things are going to change and the scale of this story will get larger as time goes on.

Until then have a good day and be safe, wherever you're at.


	11. Chapter X

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Ten**

Standing amongst the party goers on the Imperial cruise ship the Ryuusen, Tatsumi had a glass of wine in his hands while evaluating those that were of the Prime Minister's inner circles. They were around amongst the crowds and more than one instance they stood out, unfortunately. Despite majority of the guests being nobility or prestigious blood lines, Prime Minister's Honest's allies had an air of _superiority_ around them and often leered at the youngest female guests amongst the crowds. They were eying children who were growing into beautiful young woman or young men, if one of those gazes reflected such tastes in the same gender.

Tatsumi just shivered internally breaking that line of thought, god help him otherwise.

Focusing on maintaining his professional demeanor as an Imperial Colonel kept him civil.

Which was quite the challenge in other words.

"Ah, Colonel Saber! I've been told you've had taste for the finer liberties of a man for his stature?"

Some snide looking male that looked like a real sickly fossil from too many years behind the doors of his own pleasure palaces and what not, came up to him smiling. His body frail, hunched and gave off the appearance of a twisted representation of a man who abused their powers too much. He had no idea as to who this demented fuck-head wanted with him but he to reply eventually.

So the young Colonel merely smiled at the man, tipping his head in an older military tradition of respect.

As forced as it was.

"I'd like to think I'm a simple man. I'd honestly rather be at the helm of my Legion to be fair..."

He trailed off in a forced state of apologizing mannerisms. Ignoring the way this sickly corrupted politician stared at his face, Tatsumi merely maintained that discipline he had instilled upon himself as a means to hide his insecurities in these type of situations. Only withholding the urge to scowl did the man introduce himself, laughing witheringly like a jackal.

"I'm Minister Okayama of the Imperial Tax Fiances which such much to be done and funds for the Empire, Colonel as such I'm aware you know it is."

The identified supporter of the Prime Minister Honest made Tatsumi bite his tongue, to stop himself from cutting this incrusted old sickened creature into the hells that awaited his kin in death. Trying to stop his rage from being too evident as Okayama snapped his fingers as something rather _unworldly_ to the Colonel's eyes made place the wine glass down.

Immediately trying to maintain a calm sense of mind, the next few minutes tested his resolve beyond any measures so far on this mission. Clenching both hands into a locked position behind his back as a _slave_ came forth to his master's side.

"_Damn it all__! I know slavery is legal but this old man has a boy for a slave. Oh dear god, I don't know if I can take this without even withholding a few choice words. He looks half dead, son of a bitch he's got to be on drugs and..."_

This boy was young.

Probably around the age of ten.

His eyes were hollowed to the point where they didn't to seem have any life within their orbs, a dull blue and having blond hair made Tatsumi wince from the suspected origins of this slave. Possibly on the Northern Frontiers alone and that meant Esdeath's Armies had claimed a decent amount of the enemy populaces to form the basis of slaver profits and it's effects were being displayed for him to see. While this was speculation on his part, it really disgusted him to see this occurring and couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.

Teeth internally crushed each other to the point where if he weren't careful his incisors would snap into fragments.

He always knew that slavery was a perfectible legal practice, it'd implied if an enemy were to rebel or come forth then the consequences were the lack of becoming a human. An unfortunate mandate that Honest had used for his policies for the Imperial-Armies to maintain their morale and support for his rule at the Emperor's side. A simple legal means to exploit the wealth that could be made and all that it cost was for people to look the other way.

And it worked, sadly.

"This is my personal toy and third slave that I use for my evening activities. I was told by my good friend and partner, that you enjoy such _tastes_ as my own? The Prime Minister was very, vague about it if I'm aware Colonel Saber."

At some unbidden command, the Slave boy to kneel down as offering his very small body towards the elder Imperial Officer.

Disbelief ranged in his mind!

More so at the cruel mocking smile that the Prime Minister held on his face if he had seen this situation.

"_You __**son of a bitch!**__ No scratch that! Just saying that is a compliment going to the demonic danger beast that spawned you and I swear I'll cut your testicles off! When I do I'll stuff them down your throat Honest. I know he's just messing with me and it's working, unfortunately!"_

It made Tatsumi's eyes harden to the point where steel wouldn't be able to cut them out. The emotions reflected into his gaze as it shifted to the Tax-Minister, the Colonel looked very unhappily and bit down on his words to maintain a civility. This took a considerable amount of mental restraint to ignore the urge to stand this, this...

This _disgusting _creature that dared to call itself a human!

"No. I have _**zero**_ interests in that regard, Minister. Whoever told you that information is just lying to you and honestly, he's making me feel less inclined to care about his good health. So if you excuse me I have to relieve myself and go get some air, on the open decks."

So nodding his head in a calm manner, again severely forced. Tatsumi left the massive dining hall to go up the stairs to see the open skies on the ocean as it had sailed from the Capitals Harbor within its canals. The sudden rush of air could only keep his smile plastered as he continued to the point where he was within the middle of the cruise liner itself.

And he promptly scowled at the open oceans.

"_I fucking hate these people! It'd be a service to the Emperor to purge, this Evil filth from the plane of life and I'd sleep better at night because of it!"_

While gripping the handle of his Saber to the point where it creaked from the straining alone. A sense of heat gripped his bodies ability to stem the unholy rage from gutting every single one of those corrupted politicians that had actively made the Empire so utterly unbearable to see now. His mind raced to purge the face of that slave-boy from his mind.

That was why that type of face haunted him.

Along with that lack of hope only made him enraged!

All this did was just piss him off and find a quicker way to destroy the corruption infecting this nation!

Trembling due to his pent up rage, the laughter of various people below deck only made him crack his knuckles violently.

Just where was the line to be drawn? Where was the line to be drawn to kill anyone crossing it? Tatsumi couldn't stand _good_ politicians on any day but these corruptions of mockeries of people were pushing the envelope to cut them up for good measure and to relieve all the fucking stress he was under! He swore to the Emperors own will that removing these pestering slices of flesh would do only good and the results would be nothing less than, satisfying...

Satisfying to watch the horrors they inflicted on others to be returned to them with, interest.

Watching the horizon of the skies he could only marvel at the sight of so such water and how calm it looked as the young Colonel smiled to himself. He hadn't seen the open seas beforehand, not once while deployed as a foot-soldier and when he became an Officer. His career advanced underneath the Empire's banner stricking on land and in the western territories mainly.

Despite his thoughts, it was the serenity of this setting that made him wonder if he should have become a seamen.

But the thought made him laugh quickly.

Well he made an innuendo about himself without even trying.

"I wonder if I can ever be at peace. For what I've done..."

His unspoken question got an answer as he felt a chill brush up on his side!

It made him shut his eyes dreading this confrontation since he sins he had committed on that stormy night. He could only inhale deeply with his head in shame making a shimmer of air place a hand onto his shoulder and as he withheld the tears that were forming. Tatsumi looked up at the massive armored form of the Teigu Incursio as Bulat the Hundred-Man-Slayer gave him the best stare an elder sibling could when the younger committed a grave crime.

A crime they understood.

Bulat didn't have an accusing gaze but it was one that wanted answers.

And the reasons behind them.

"**You can start by accepting the fact why you did it. Don't worry, Lubbock told the team about your words but I still volunteered to take on this mission Solo.**"

Even with his head bowed the Colonel replied in a sober tone that couldn't hide that grief of a man who committed Sins so badly, that he had no chance for forgiveness in what he had done. Tatsumi had to stem the tears as to what he had done, so that all the pain was justified to shoulder now. Glancing over at the blue seas as the waves crashed against the side of the Cruise Liner.

The salty spray hitting his face and the white coat of his uniform flapped in the upcoming breeze.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness Bro, nor anyone in Night-Raid itself. I can only hold this pain within my heart and only move forward: I had no choice but to choose between two friends, two people who didn't deserve to die. However one did die to my own hands no less, so I don't suppose you can tell me an answer for that?"

He trailed off unable to keep his voice level as the invisibility of Incursio maintained the cloaked camouflage. Bulat only gripped the top of the smaller Imperial Officers arm as a means to _understand_ why his pain hurt. As one soldier to another they had both taken lives but for the reasons weren't the same and they had their choices to contend with.

The elder man from behind his armored helmet stared only with an expression that he or Najenda could give to a man who had seen enough agony in a battlefields but to only know it'd be the only _good_ thing he could withstand. Most solders were destined to the endless void of bloodied warfare and eternal damnation if they lost themselves.

"**Find your resolve, Tatsumi. It's all I can hope for you since you will become a Great man.**"

"_Me?__ A great man? That's bullshit, I know for a fact great men don't kill their friends and have themselves unable to look at their reflections. Me as a great men is just wishful thinking bro."_

Tatsumi bitterly started chuckling and it made the elder man look down despite the effects of Incursio's abilities.

The expression on the young Colonel's face was borderline of a man who accepted the fact he'd never wake up from a nightmare in order to realize the very things he couldn't escape were real. This nightmare was real and he'd have to confront it in the future. Murderers never got peace and they only received justice in the form of their deaths to end all the pain they had made.

It made an expression so alien on the usually kind boy's face it almost looked twisted.

Bulat shed a single tear for the boy whose path to the most peaceful of solutions would be marred by the most impossible weights that no man could shoulder without someone to help him. The elder soldier had to guide him, to cradle him, to understand him and to have Tatsumi know the consequences of being a great man until the end of his time.

Tatsumi started to laugh as if something amused him.

"Great men don't commit Sins to those they consider friends and become a murderer for their troubles, bro. I'd say I was becoming something different. Different in a way that I hate myself even more and if it kills me to reach my dream, so be it. I bet more than mountains worth of supposed heroes weren't remembered for their troubles that superseded their actions..."

He paused before looking out over at the vast seas, watching the land fade away into the distance as the amount of nautical miles were placed by the ship itself. The sun seemed to be setting for another night to be stained in blood and carnage, Tatsumi could only welcome the chance to spill it for the right reasons. What good was he other than to kill?

Quietly relaxing in the cooling breeze he felt Bulat glance over towards the dining areas and considering the people seemed to be at peace.

"...But enough of that. Have you seen the targets Bro? They're not that hard to see."

That smile faded into something more friendly as the Incursio user merely hummed thoughtfully about the crowds beneath the decks and very simply came up with a plan that the Colonel frowned at. Mainly due to the fact it wouldn't accomplish anything other than corruption being wiped out, normally a good thing but he wanted to make the Honest's _other friends_ cringe when he thought about ways to make them squirm in their holes.

Tatsumi Saber had finally evolved into a political nightmare that would spread into the hearts of those who were corrupted.

He'd make them shiver in their sleep!

Always to have them fear what it meant to be Evil and to have them realize that terror to threaten their lives! Due to his excitement he got pulled from his thoughts smiling nonetheless about the potential plans.

"**The targets all stand out. I'd figure wait for a few more minutes and just wait till the cruise ship can't turn back quickly enough to port. Eventually I sneak off and for what it's worth, we score a win against the Prime Minister's money makers.**"

The younger Colonel's satisfying smile didn't waver but he merely _critiqued_ the planning and made a few improvements that had Bulat raise an eyebrow at. The boy had been scarred again for sure but at the expense of his deteriorating expressions, still in that sense he maintained his morality on hope and justice to spread from the deeds of those fighting the corruption.

What the Colonel suggested next made would be borderline sadistic that made him seem utterly, delightful.

"While straight-forward enough, Bro: it's **not** sending a message to those who waiting in the wings for the Prime Minister to appoint through Emperor Makoto. This is an opportunity to make the very Evil within this Heart of the Empire _fear_ the repercussions of abusing their authorities. Granted it won't stop but I have hope it'll _pause_ in its steps. All we need is the perfect _composers_ and _audiences _to give this Evil which of all the corrupted are under Prime Minister Honest's pants a reason to hear about a good show. Want me to continue?"

Bulat folded his arms prompting Tatsumi to just smile in a new manner.

One that was quite unnerving for the better lack of a word.

"On this cruise liner below in the decks for passengers, there are more targets. Esdeath's Three-Beasts are just biding their time until a certain time limit in order to knock everyone out with a melody that comes from a person called Nyau, whose habits of skinning victims faces off are notoriously well known right? I propose we use that moment when the piper himself plays his little song, so that when the people who are _knocked out_ see an image of Prime Minister's _allies_ cut in half or decapitated then wouldn't that be an _important _ image for a mind to last remember? I mean I'm basing this on chance but, I can have hope that those who fear justice will lose faith in the Prime Minister to realize they won't see a better tomorrow."

Tatsumi added a few choice words while staring at the ocean.

"Also I have a score to settle with that little bastard piper below deck but instead of _me_ paying him: it'll be _him_ paying me. So what do you say, Bro? You up for a challenge to make those that are the true Evil in the Empire suddenly cry out for change in their habits?"

The Colonel wasn't kind to those who were enemies but the emotions were akin to a gentle truth that could be made for a greater good. It made this a more realistic approach and it sounded so pure for the right reasons, it made the Incursio wielder suddenly see an after image of a younger General on the side of him. Bulet witnessed someone he had known back in his years as a soldier and it looked remarkable.

An old leader who inspired many like himself to fight.

"_General? Oh I see, Tatsumi, you're becoming something even I was afraid of doing. Taking on the world and finding the right reasons. I feel like I'm standing at the beginning rise of a legend and it's very, odd. No matter what you believe yourself to be, fighting for the right reasons is what makes men great. Try to understand that for me one day."_

That smile on the young officer's face was of a man who knew how to win a battle. It also reminded Bulat of a certain leader he once knew, it was these shrewd tactics to create the best results possible and have the good to negate all the bad . Balut couldn't help but remember of a fond man, who he considered his mentor and almost a father to follow within the Imperial Armies ranks as an Officer taking on special forces of a rogue unit that had broken away from the Empire.

His namesake came from his deeds on that day.

Fondly the man looked at the younger Imperial who could only smile in response.

Tatsumi knew what to say, the words weren't hesitated nor glossed over. This boy knew how to inspire those under him and it made Bulat realize something that he overlooked despite their age difference. The boy was a leader! It was known he did lead a Legion of men and a leader could turn the tide of battle on his word alone, to inspire those to get the job done.

A leader could inspire faith in their soldiers, to always have hope to win.

"**Well, you know how to make a guy get hot under the collar Tatsumi. Man, I'd kiss you and say it'd be a blessing from God. Interested?**"

That got a funny look from the boy, "Nope. I prefer women, at least the attractive ones."

Bulat laughed lightly making the younger Officer just sigh shaking his head the meanwhile. Looking over the oceans again, Tatsumi took this time to maintain his calm mindset despite the stresses pressuring him to go mad from the pains and twists that it took to get to this point. So far into this time it felt like a dream at times and he had to do all he could in order to withstand the tides of Evil.

He couldn't do this alone, so he'd fine ways to get help and eventually start to pressure the Puppet-Master himself!

To cut the strings of the Emperor and to end this madness.

It was a dream.

A good dream but nonetheless like all dreams, they could come true if one worked hard to attain such a goal...

"**Well time to go set-up shop. I'll shadow you from wherever you go Tatsumi. Just remember you're not alone here and for that, I want you to find your resolve knowing that your Big-Bro is here to outshine you in battle. See you then.**"

Tatsumi smiled, more grateful that he had in a long time.

"Thanks, handsome."

That last word whispered so softly the man couldn't quite hear it.

Bulat looked back immediately as the breeze caught the word fully. However due to the waves smashing against the side of the cruise ship the actual sound got lost as Tastumi didn't flinch when the cold water hit him in the face. The Colonel just remained in his spot for a few minutes longer seeing perhaps things that few men would care to admit in their futures.

"**Did you say what I thought you said?**"

When the reply came, Tatsumi still maintained that smile.

"Nope. Just in your dreams, Bro."

The man moved towards the bottom half of the decks, as the Colonel took a few moments to compose himself in order to have the fortitude to maintain the path that held firm too. To walk into that den of snakes beyond that staircase was nothing less of a risky option since he nearly lost his passive mindset when it came down to interacting with the Nobility of the Capital once more.

Clenching his free hand to release the tension of his limb, Tatsumi turned on his heel to move back to the under-decks where the other guests of the political rally were located at.

Feeling the blood rush from feet to his head the young man ultimately inhaled deeply and exhaled softly through his mouth.

He had to go mingle with those that deserved to die.

Some of those people deserved to die far more sooner than most men in the Imperial Army but more importantly, it saved the lives of the citizens. Imperial citizens that held no choices for their lives to be spared and for that end alone: these Nobles would suffer! They'd suffer on the very actions their that made their own debauched lives. They would see it, to understand that blood was met with blood. All these corrupted souls who benefited under this System of Evil would fear those that fought for change!

A stronger breeze came to shift into his overcoat.

"Let's see who can give the better performance here. To give the audience the best impression."

He spoke this to no one while walking down the stairs into the under-decks moving towards a table that held the wine glasses full and ready to be consumed. Reaffirming his cover as a Legionnaire representative for the politicians to ask or question his experiences the young Imperial moved towards a more secluded part of the crowded room to just pass the time. His eyes were consistently searching for all the targets which had numbered of two to three into about five prominent figures of Prime Minister Honest's closest allies. The most debauched of souls whereas the only merciful thing so that there victims would be at rest beyond life: was to kill them all.

Nothing short of that would even get the restless dead the peace they deserved.

Chatter floated around the luxurious room as people took plates of food or discussed whatever they wanted.

The pale skin tones of many of these Nobles suggested that they had never gone out into the sun very often. Hell some were so utterly fake like a porcelain doll and that wasn't even the worst of it. Tatsumi had slowly taken in the eyes of _debauchery _as the looks of _twisted_ creatures and the lack of any sort of humanity in the ones that were deliberately flaunting their power.

Ever so slowly his hand drifted towards his side where a thumb or an index finger brushed the handle of his Saber-blade.

Almost reflexively drawing the weapon when seeing more than a few instances of lesser morality. More than once he watched a slave, being it a young boy or girl be paraded amongst Honest's allies within the gathering. And more than once one or two of their supporters would leave with that slave to the more privater passenger suites. This was on a lower deck that a stair case lead to from the corner of the main lobby.

Laughter echoed into his ears the very vocal cords that warped into his own senses and he felt the potency of the very essence of Corruption stain his body. The lack of life, the lack of any remorse or the lack of any regrets were lingering onto his consciousness as more than a few faces of Evil were glancing his direction. Withholding that urge to spit violently to the side Tatsumi just stood there sipping the expensive wine.

One could admit it held a sweet, fruit tastes and it he honestly thought overall...

The wine wasn't half bad.

But it felt bitter to swallow, regardless.

"Ah, the Young Colonel Saber! I was told of your attendance to this political event."

Biting his tongue slightly, "_Now what?"_

Glancing over towards the person who called out his rank.

Another one of Prime Minister's allies of his Political schemes walked over towards with a wine glass in hand. An elder woman whose age varied from her early thirties into mid forties came in a dress that left little imagination to the eye. Her vulpine form with a cleavage that pressed itself in manner that taunted a man or boy to look at it in detail.

Her hair was as dark as night with eyes a clear green that looked utterly pale beyond anything and her attire made him wince in irritation.

If Esdeath could make him nearly feel like an open book...

Than this woman was just a meager attempt to get him to read her.

A black dress with high-heels that sparked with golden lining and her gloves held designs that were more than likely worth more wages that a blacksmith earned in a year. Her skin accented with various makeup or whatever tried to enhance her looks and it certainly did its job well. He assumed that her servants or slaves, whatever the flying fuck she had spent hours do the work.

Exhaling annoyed as eventually he had to reply to the greeting.

So tipping his head in a respectful manner that hid that series of emotions.

"Good afternoon, mam. May good fortunes follows your steps for the Empire."

Her response was an alluring smile.

Tatsumi honestly thought it was not even remotely close to the person he was under the command in the Palace.

"_Great. Another admirer or sadistic torturer? Which is worse?"_

The woman offered her hand as Tatsumi merely took it before kissing the back of it in a forced respectful mannerism that he certainly wanted to do away with.

His heart pounded as urges to cut the very corruption he had sworn to uphold against and was just a few feet around him! He swore mentally his very lips nearly became tainted if it had touched her skin. Thankfully the gloves negated this feeling more so than the other debauched souls around his location. The Colonel could only pass the time doing what he could to see the true states of the darkness that lay infesting the Imperial Capital.

Also to make his patience grow so when the time came to strike...

It'd be all the more satisfying to enjoy their deaths.

To witness them to die and to utterly feel happier.

"Such etiquette from a Legionnaire that came from the Western Territories, this is quite interesting Colonel Saber. Allow me, to introduce myself..."

She pulled the side of her dress to reveal apart of her strong powerful legs that left little to imagine what lay beyond.

Unfortunately the Colonel absently noticed a lace of reddish undergarments that made him only mentally groan. Why in the fuck was this happening? He couldn't care less due to the fact if General Esdeath were to see the _blatant_ lust in this woman's eyes, he'd wager she be frozen than be kicked overboard into the ocean. Oh he could picture sight right now and it'd make him tip his glass in respect. Shit, it'd make him kiss the General out sheer disbelief and thankfulness to see this creature destroyed.

If Esdeath were ever to do that: she'd be pleasant despite her personality.

"...Minister Helena of Public Health and Internal Affairs. I've been watching you for nearly two years now Colonel, when you were first amongst your peers in that Traditional Ceremony almost a year ago now was it?"

Her voice would've been tempting had it been the fact that Tatsumi had experienced the pinnacle of that category in the form of General Esdeath herself and she'd had a body that killed those in envy. He had witnessed firsthand on what the strongest of the Empire held at her disposable and his confidence to remain unprompted would be amongst the challenges to withstand against_._

Basically he knew how to deal with attractive women, somewhat.

Now comparing the blue-haired beauty to this noble woman was akin of a school girl seducing a college student and the college student falling for it. The mere idea of this description just instilled the professional discipline to merely smile kindly at the elder woman, whose hands brushed the side of his arm. Not to mention her touch made him cold to his core in the worst ways possible.

"Why the sudden curiosity in me, Minister? I'm just a commander legionnaire who just got picked to fill in a spot. A place at a Politician's discussion to maintain a clear line of support for the Imperial-Army, no less. I doubt I'm the most interesting person to converse with."

With that kind smile in place Tatsumi did what he could to dissuade this mature mistress of god-forsaken sadism to just stand in peace until Nyau's melodies kicked in. He had to maintain a passive expression or else it'd tip off the more alert of the Prime Minister allies, as few as they were here. So naturally that would be a waste to witness and he wouldn't allow that. So not placing too faith in his ability to pressure women, the Colonel waited for a response as the female aristocratic Minister chuckled good naturally.

The sound again got him disgusted ever more so now.

Really it sounded so bland.

"You're too humble about yourself, Colonel. Many of my fancies are the ways you spread the message of the Empires total dominance over the peasants that rebel against their betters. I wanted to ask: do you feel any sort of _private_ desires to see them squirm at your word? To have utter control over another as you debate whether to make them suffer in agony or in pure pleasure? To enjoy the release one gets in order to feel alive? I've heard you have committed thousands to the crosses as you took down when destroying rebellion after rebellion within a week if I recall faintly..."

Tatsumi only maintained his inquisitive facial expression when his hands were gripping each other so tightly that he nearly snapped his own bones from the intensive forces. This woman had an attraction to him due to the fact he had ordered _thousands_ to be crucified or put to death! What the fuck was this person? He'd bet this woman was a monster and two thirds danger beast! Those orders were from the Prime Minister's own policies!

He had obeyed but had only killed the _armed_ rebels.

Giving the rest a choice to get their families out of the towns or villages, so that the message could be spread.

The Colonel had to merely maintain his smile.

Even though the strain of not showing any emotion other than an expected fancy nearly became impossible. Seriously his mind demanded his own body cut this fucking bitches head off and just go on his merry way! Always the monstrosities within the Capital were beyond unreal and he knew he only skimmed the surface to see how far the depravity went! Tatsumi really didn't enjoy this place, he felt so out of place and it just disgusted him again.

"Minister, I did what my orders pertained. I only completed them with the most efficient tactical layouts possible and due to the frequency of the Western Territories, I had no choice but to put them down with great haste. Having a Legion at your Command is one thing but maintaining the discipline to keep on marching is what made such an over-sized area to cover, challenging..."

The woman smiled charmingly as she leaned into his ear making the young man rooted in place due to the urge to draw his Saber, ever more temptingly. This woman had the voice of a poisonous viper and it'd only end bad if he entered its den with the intent to face it down. So inhaling slightly he bore with the female serpents tantalizing propositions that would have most other men, weak at the knees and utterly ready to accept.

He didn't see why others would be happy to trade places.

It didn't make sense: poison was poison.

No matter what body part being offered.

"Can you discuss with me in a more private suite? The efficient tactical layouts of suppressing an enemy, I'm sure we can plan accordingly if we do not act hastily.

Her breathe smelled of fruit and other such things but it couldn't disguise the smell of blood laced on her tongue.

Tatsumi made a thoughtful face to merely make him appear interested but thankfully, he gave her the hint. For the sake of his own sanity and purity that if he had to lose for: it'd be for a good cause. Internally grimacing from the image of him locked in a room with this _widow-maker_ which he bet, hadn't held a steady marriage in probably ever. So exhaling lightly he made himself just become a simple man once again to end another conversation.

"The offer is tempting Minister, however may I have some time to consider it? The day is still young and the party has barely started. I'd rather have my time alone to consider things if that is not to offend such a woman of your position?"

He stepped back kindly smiling as the woman gave a shadow of a glare at being rejected somewhat but took a consolation that he was interested. She merely nodded at him before moving back to her entourage of peers that were talking louder now laughing and what not about the reign of the Emperor or, the Prime Minister's policies that were making their pockets with gold. The sight of it made him disgusted, which was getting frequent now and that made him wary.

All of this self-control and for what?

To maintain the illusion that he was in control? His thoughts came down to he had no choice but to remain Strong! He couldn't afford to become weak! He'd perish long before anything could be done. If he had a lesser man it'd have gotten him in trouble or killed if he offended those that were in power here and politicians were the worst amongst snakes to keep appeased.

_"The right to live is nothing Tatsumi but an illusion of control, nothing more and nothing less."_

Esdeath's words unknowingly sent a chill up his spine.

"_I always know she's not wrong, but in this case it makes sense. Controlling that urge to kill these people is all the more harder for me to bare, damn it all. That makes sense to see an illusion of control but I do have a choice."_

He could feel her gaze even now with him admitting to be strong as the only good in the world.

The Colonel could only feel less inclined to admit this out loud. Esdeath's words were taunting him even now in this midst of corrupted souls, these were the main sources of many pain and agonies that the citizens of the Empire were inflicted with. To hold back and to control himself seemed more a hindrance, but it was the right thing to do. What else could he do but no inflict more pain to allow survivors and to do that required the very Evil that he waited to lure these people to sleep. It always seemed so simple at times but it never got easier to accept.

Glancing down at his hands he could see Aria's ruby ring taunt him with his past experiences.

"_I do more good to those around me than myself: who I endure all the pains to stand. Choices are one thing but to endure the consequences are something I've gotten better at over time."_

Staring into the wine glass his reflection seemed diluted now and the lack of clarity made him blink in a personal moment.

He felt a bit different after going through the many trials to finally take the fight to the Corruption on hand in the Capital but did the cost of maintaining a passive posture outweigh the rewards once things started to move? Once the fact he could do something finally would that outweigh the dangers that were coming to face him on the horizon? Sometimes it just hurt to breathe and move forward.

But that was what he was good for: to bare the weight.

"_Glory to the Empire_."

Mentally speaking this while staring at the room as the various guests continued to express their feelings or flaunt the wealth that they had siphoned away from the Citizens who worked their lives, to have a decent life. Where did such choices be made from, when did a person fall into ruin and have the lack of respect of a life? Shaking head, the young Colonel figured to watch the rest of the crowd to spot signs of Bulat who wasn't even visible at the moment.

But before he could even find the elder soldier whose Incursio Armor had be cloaked.

A sweet inducing melody began to play.

So people started to fall over.

"About time you little disgusting creature. I hope you play your heart out for these people because it's going to be your last. I hope for all Evil that it begins to fear what happens you go out of line and when you kill innocents when the one who protects them is down. I can't wait now."

Tatsumi whispered shaking his head almost immediately to ward off the Teigu's effects.

That took a lot willpower to stand up to the effects of an illusionist song that consistently grated on his mind to go to sleep. The Colonel found that the key wasn't to hurt himself in order to stay awake but to merely do think of something to get him angry. To be fair it made up an unorthodox strategy to negate the effects, fortunately it wouldn't last too long as the passengers were nearly out of it.

Bulat witnessed the slumping forms of the target politicians and allies of the Prime Minister slowly feel the weight of the flute-teigu do its charms.

Every person felt the effects as they were starting to pass out, one by one.

Eventually Tatsumi would have the greatest pleasures of seeing their last thoughts and expressions.

"Any time Bro, now would be good."

The casual words made the chain reaction as he had waited for the first strikes against the Corruption were orchestrated by his hands alone.

Bodies suddenly exploded into fountains of gore and red the spray staining all who were in the immediate area of the Incursio spear wielder who was literally moving like a ghost. The assassin moved so quickly that every tune that was played, the blood splatter made it into a pattern of 'swish', 'spat' and ultimately the peaceful tunes of an ending to a musical that made all widen their already half awake forms as the blood fest ended within a matter of moments.

Humming a tune the Colonel raised a glass to those who were staring at his smiling form.

"All I can say about this, is that this is..."

Almost half a dozen faces of Evil, obliterated.

The satisfying relief he had sought for that underwhelming sense of a sword strike taking a chunk of flesh from an enemy.

"...Outstanding, bro."

Bodies littered one corner as the lone protection of another Politician that Night-Raid needed to survive was slumped under a fair few of his guards. Tatsumi merely walked over to him checking his pulse before sighing in relief, it seemed that Nyau was good for something after all. Making those who were not of being strong willed, sleep their worries away and just stand for an ovation once the time came.

Finishing the rest of his wine in the glass.

He waited patiently for Bulat to appear on his side completely less strained than for ware.

The elder man just commented a bit bored.

"**That seemed no different from my initial plan Tatsumi. Oh well, anyone else to worry about?**"

The smell of the dead freshly on the ground didn't bother the two soldiers as it was just the right reasons why they could share small smiles over such a sight. Despite the amount of crimson liquid forming in pools to shadow their images in the eyes of the dead who were already on their trips to Hell and he'd only offer them a tip of his glass.

Tatsumi smiled seeing the very Evil that he had sworn to destroy enter its beginning stages of a retaliation.

He was prepared to endure the storms ahead.

And he was ready to start the change that was needed for the Empire to flourish.

For it all started right here on the cruise ship of the corrupt and he'd purge it, absolutely.

"The Three-Beast's will move within the next few moments. So take the first one out you see with an Ax, it's a Teigu of some kind. Better to kill them as quickly as possible and have each of us, fight one on one. If you see a small midget of some kind, he's the Piper the owes me for more than his share of innocent blood spilled. Wish you luck bro, stay safe."

He looked over his shoulder to see the shimmering form of the Incursio wielder as Bulat gave him a slap on the shoulder again.

That seemed to be happening to him a lot lately.

It didn't hurt but the gesture was welcomed, warmly.

"_Though I wonder if this means anything. Blood has been spilled and I know, the Beasts are prowling for Night-Raid now."_

Bulat's shoulder slap wasn't strong enough to make him stumble but it was a sign that the man trusted him to do the right thing. Even though Tatsumi had to take out the most iconic faces of the Empire that represented the corruption within its heart. So all the while the soldiers were united by a sense of familiarity. Only a kin-ship of a brotherhood as solders within their respective experiences could make them work together to the point of whereas motives were merely secondary drives.

Tatsumi respected the man the elder soldier despite the differences in rank.

He'd understand his one time mentors views to turn against the Empire and he'd fight with him until a choice had to be made.

As they stood together as friends.

A sad but realistic truth would hit them hard until that day when they saw each other again. It didn't mean they were allies as one was aligned against the Empire and the other fought to save it. Both men fought together on their own choices and their own will, in order to make the worlds they fought a better place for everyone to live. It wasn't peace but it got close to that sense with what they felt as soldiers fighting a battle soon to come.

"**No problem, just remember what I said about your resolve. Maintain your path and do what you can to understand what you had to do. I may not forgive you for Sheele, Tatsumi but I can respect the guts of a man who can face his choices and to not hide from it.**"

With that the last words of Bulat the Hundred-Man-Slayer were spoken to the young Colonel.

A young boy who bowed his head nothing less at the compassion of a man, who didn't deserve to understand him. Tatsumi knew he had hurt those within a family, did it justify to do what he he had to do? All for to reach his own goals that these were the weights he had to bare as penance? Was there any hope for him as a person for his future? To honestly to be forgiven for murder?

So wouldn't that meant the world was a hypocritical place? Whatever he did in the future for those suffering under the weight of corruption and tyranny. It really came down to a simple thing, something that was far to common in this world now. Tatsumi felt his body tighten as the blood of thousands weighed his soul onto the reality that he looked at.

Murder was a sin.

Sins were never forgotten by the men who committed them.

And less so be forgiven as a murderer, for those that witnessed it.

So he waited as he felt alone once more waiting for the Beasts to arrive from the lower decks.

The silence of the still living could be compared to the dead that were mingled amongst the dining area of the ship as the Colonel waited patiently for the other targets that were to be destroyed come forth into the range of his Saber-Blade. The waiting part was clearly the most stressing moment if the Beasts were aware of his involvement in this orchestrated show to the Evil, to show the corruption of Imperial Society to suddenly watch their backs.

"_Oh I'm so going to enjoy this. Plus with most of these people asleep, it means anyone innocent will not get caught in the cross fire. Time is all I have until all of the Evil has been purged. I couldn't ask for anything more satisfying to attain on a good day, finally."_

The waiting game lasted for a few minutes.

Daidara came trudging into the room to see Tatsumi himself drawing his Saber while inspecting the dead. The massive man commented grinning at the sight of so many dead bodies, he wanted to fight the strong person responsible for such a work of a battle. The younger Colonel didn't remotely flinch when his voice broke over the deathly silence of those amongst the living which really just made the Teigu-user just relish in the smell of the blood. Nothing could compare it to a battle with a strong opponent that pressed his limits into becoming truly a beast to be reckoned with.

"You alright Saber? You got red all over you and yet you're still breathing. Whose the strong assassin that did this?"

He hefted the ax-like teigu weapon over his shoulder as Tatsumi moved over several of the corpses as if studying their wounds.

This was all mere farce to lure them into a false sense of security.

Sighing heavily the young man merely moved up towards the massive giant Beast who kept grinning without a care in the world.

"Once the music started, Nyau hindered my sight. I was able to suspect that we have the possibly of an infiltrated member of Night-Raid here with us. It appears that whoever did this job, did it _well_ enough for me to guess the opponent will be on the main deck. Let's go check it out, I doubt the others will care to hurry up."

The giant just shrugged, "The Stronger the better and the faster I gain I experience to be the best. I'll check it out, I'm a little bored in sitting for so long."

Tatsumi cracked a grin, "I know the feeling."

The two moved to the main stairs keeping their guards as the sounds of the ocean came to their eyes. Standing up on the main deck, the massive man walked towards the center of the cruise liner as Tatsumi went up the stairs behind to get an overlooked position of the spacious battlefields. He could only scan for an outline of Incursio which Bulat had moved so quickly into a place behind the unsuspecting Daidara who turned around after a few minutes.

"Hey Saber, you see anything up there? I think the guy is..."

The only person that Tatsumi would have to feel sorry for would be this man. The guy didn't have any sadistic quirks that he was aware of and held that belief of fighting stronger opponents to become his own personal legend. So for that end alone he tipped his head towards the man with a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. The massive man just didn't understand why the Colonel had just lowered his head.

He would have said something but...

Due to have Bulat reappear in front of him shimmering into view with a massive dual-edged spear.

And promptly cutting the massive giant in **half!**

Vertically sending two halves of a gushing body to the deck. The amount of crimson liquid just saturated the wooden decks, sending the two twitches halves of a former man tumbling around. Strange gushing sounds of a scream were akin to hearing a gurgle and hit pitched screeching. The brain hadn't comprehended its death until after a moment of clarity as organs spilled out like a mocking pinata at some birthday party for a child. Intestines tumbled out of the torso areas like a snake coiling, to defend itself.

Each vertical body had the skull halves, to one eye, which widened and in bloodshot disbelief!

"_One down."_

As much as the anti-climatic sense of achievement for Tatsumi occurred: this was to level the playing field and to get his own sense of Justice against the smallest Beast of them all. Cracking his wrists reflexively the young officer waited for the rest of those hiding in the shadows of the Imperial cruise ship to come forth into the light and to eventually meet their ends.

Almost with a sign from the heavens the clouds parted to bath the area in a glowing warmth of light but it got clouded from the overcast skies swarming in from the eastern winds.

Bulat merely flipped his weapon expertly linking to the back of his armor while he turned around.

As an old voice called from where the death had piled.

Tatsumi knew that the old man's tone was stern, calm and impressed at the quick death.

"Such a well executed killing, very efficient. Not to mention the quick work of Daidara as well. I wondered as much when the amount of bodies were so quickly maintained in their places. It seems I made a mistake in calling you a fool boy, clearly you're capable of some results. Such a shame that you will not make it off this ocean, for it is your grave."

The eldest amongst the Three-Beasts walked out as Tatsumi idly heard the foot steps of someone appearing on the railing behind him. Bulat looked closely from his position keeping a hand on the weapon that his Teigu had attached to the armor. However the more pressing threat to the younger Imperial had appeared in the best way possible. The voice of the Piper, the voice of a sadistic existence and he'd do the justice in ending it utterly.

Tatsumi just smiled while turning around as the youthful Nyau gave him all the more reason to fight now.

By pissing him off!

He do it to not even care about the innocents that wouldn't be harmed in their battle.

"Looks like Liver got his wish to fight someone _Colonel_ and now I get mine! Finally to skin that perfect face of yours off. Doesn't that sound rewarding enough?"

Nyau had flipped himself onto the railing with his flute Teigu in hand as his eyes danced with unrestricted maleficent mirth. His tongue licked the outer rim of his lips, as the younger Imperial soldier merely unbuttoned his overcoat to prepared himself.

"_Oh fuck you. I've been waiting for a chance for quite some time."_

Tatsumi still had the shredded undershirt from earlier this morning on, freshly stained with blood. The blood of an innocent girl who shouldn't have survived but he had changed that. No longer did he step back from the ones that committed the murder of such a person, the time to fight only served to get him gleeful. So the Colonel took his time to explain in a great tone of voice that promised retribution and satisfaction.

"Be careful what you wish for. I'm not stopping until you're fucking dead. When I purge you as a face of Evil to never again harm those of this nation, I'll be happier. So play your song Nyau and I will give you my best performance to dance to your _**death**_."

Hissing the words out of his mouth Tatsumi flung his overcoat to the side of the railing where it hung in the breeze. Preparing himself into a lose stance that got his hand onto his Saber as a smile of unfamiliarity drifted upon his face. The sheer swift in attitude made the youngest of the Three-Beasts only frown at the excitement the boy was radiating to fight.

That was odd.

No sense of uneasiness?

Nothing to remotely show him that he was afraid?

Nyau's silence made Tatsumi only grin in an eerie manner to the youthful beast's master.

"What's wrong with you? Aren't you _delighted_ to see me take you on? Where's that taunting piece of shit that I've come to harbor an extreme dislike for?"

The insults made the blond youth scowl before he started to play his Teigu flute making the Colonel only dash forward at speeds that made the elder blond flip gracefully onto the railing of the vessel. The missed strike didn't have any profound effect onto the Imperial Officer who was waiting patiently for the adversary to make the next move.

Nyau moved quickly enough as Tatsumi tried to strike at the smaller opponents legs but nimbly the smaller Beast literally _walked_ on the blade of his Saber.

The sudden graceful movements made him widen his eyes as he got kicked in the face sending him forward to the railing of the vessel.

But that wasn't the follow up to that attack.

The smaller blond slammed two more kicks into his back making him hiss from the pain.

Whirling around he slammed the Saber blade first into the deck as the nimble little sadistic man grinned at the slower moving soldier who didn't have a Teigu. If he had one then it'd have been more alarming to fight such a prominent swordsman. This boy was maybe shrewd, but if he couldn't catch up to him to begin with and than it meant: he had all the fun time to play some melodies until he died.

It'd be such a beautiful picture to that end of a boy.

Whose face was so perfect to hang on his wall.

"You're too slow Colonel."

That taunt made Tatsumi get himself back into a defensive position with his Saber in-between the junction of his free limb. Lining up the strike he exhaled deeply while lunging forward as the laughing blond again avoided his strike still playing his Teigu-flute to make the younger boy stumble as he slammed a kick into the pack of his knees.

Pressing the advantage the small blond used one hand to play his flute as he slammed the younger Imperial to the deck, occasionally making him block his rib-cage or taking a shot to the face.

Nyau laughed loudly as Tatsumi slammed into the back of the railing nearly causing him to tumble overboard into the ocean...

"_I'm not going for a swim."_

Looking up just as when Nyau appeared behind him sending a monster kick to the back of the boy's skull to make slammed a good two meters into the wooden deck. Delighted now as the Teigu user quickly appeared overhead about to slam his foot into the Colonel's ribs the boy rolled away at the last second. He had shoulder rolled towards their initial position when the battle begun.

Gingerly wiping the blood from his lips and spitting over the side into the oceans waves.

"Lucky break, Colonel. But I will crush your ability to breathe when I can."

Tatsumi retorted smirking, "What a coincidence, I was thinking of that same thing to do to you."

A massive shock-wave rocked the vessel making the two younger combatants see the sight on the main area of the Cruise-Liner.

Bulat had been fighting against Liver to the point where the man was manipulating water around in the ocean to keep the other soldier locked into a stalemate. Their dueling had been rapid, short but powerful as water like dragons came up spear heading at the Incursio user who was able to sheer out run them as they crashed into the wooden deck of the ship sending it groaning as if the strains were too much.

The old man literally was using his Teigu's own ability to level the battlefields in his favor and for what it was worth, it didn't look good.

Tatsumi couldn't interfere yet since he had his own troubles. The troubles trying to catch a fast skirmishing little creature that refused to shut up. Inhaling a great deal of air he waited for another round with Nyau watching him and gauging his movements as he took in hits.

This wasn't the problem!

He couldn't grab the nimble little shit. So for that end alone he needed something to make the youth make a mistake as he weaved over to the right now. Trying to find an edge on an opponent that seemingly race circles around him. Nyau literally was casually side stepping the Saber's strike the closest limb. Trying to keep up with that image as the melody being played made his vision swim in a volley of colors.

"_Wait! It's that flute! It's making me see Nyau in double afterimages and making it hard to focus. So why is it just..."_

As he withstood another skeleton crushing blow that sent him to his knees, his vision wavered seeing the blond move within them and he was seeing doubles. Blinking as the sounds of the Teigu-Flute slowly made the Beast move to his right however something seemed off about the way his eyes were adjusting to the amount of movement. Getting onto his feet, Tatsumi tried to kick out the legs of the smaller adversary who laughed out loud again. His assailant continued onwards pressing the limit his will could tolerate the pain.

Another series of kicks hit his side forcing blood past his lips to spill onto the wooden deck.

The Colonel smirked despite the copper taste lingering.

"_I get it."_

Nyau's fighting was based on the sheer ability for him to dodge and use sounds to disorient enemies.

But could he multitask?

In the sense of dodging two things at once?

"_It could work though can I get close enough to use that and make him panic? Well, time to do something brash and possibly exciting! Seeing illusions is one thing but to see something that is making them to not move, is another detail altogether!"_

Standing straight he got into his stance where his sword arm locked behind him and the tip of the Saber lay at the very middle of his index and thumb on the free hand to line up a strike. Inhaling deeply the boy waited for his enemy to smirk at him, standing on the opposite site of the upper-deck they were that oversaw the main battlefield of which Liver and Bulat fought one another.

Chips of metallic armor from Incursio were all over the wooden surfaces.

And they had finally understood each other or rather who they were fighting...

It seemed that the two here knew of their own pasts that split at events that the Empire or rather the Prime Minister had created when both men were younger. This unknown bond between the elder soldiers didn't trickle into the battle that Tatsumi and Nyau were on above decks that overlooked the main one. In this case the less flashier battle between the younger soldiers was more personal to spill blood over.

Tatsumi finally understood what he could do and what he had to do in order to end this fight.

It'd be more unorthodox than anything if the answer came forth from the very thing that was making him disorientated.

"Oh, man. Liver is really putting the pressure on that Night-Raid guy whose probably a friend of yours. Such a naughty thing Colonel, to betray the Empire to let Night-Raid kill the people you're supposed to be protect."

Tatsumi only raised an eyebrow grinning all the while as he angled his saber.

"I don't recall serving that lard of a Prime Minister, who I'd ram my own saber down his throat to end all my troubles. Not even Esdeath herself will break my loyalties _fuck-head_. I'll always be loyal to the Empire, to the Emperor foremost before I ever yield. For you are just the very Evil, I swore to purge from my nation. So get your facts right and when I have your tongue in front of your own eyes _creature_ I'll end your existence in the way, you'd enjoy it..."

He trailed off laughing lightly making the blond snarl at the insolence of the young boy. This whole fight he had been toying with him, dodging his strikes and now the little shit had the audacity to threaten him with death? The youngest Beast just stared hardly at the Colonel who tilted his head at the expression as if mocking him. A subtle shifting on his feet made the Beast retort annoyed at the lack of fear coming from the boy after he came down to his anxiety.

"How so boy? By preaching your Justice and Hope? It's just boring now."

The answer came in the form of another smile, this a similar expression that Nyau recognized.

"No that would be too kind, I have something more fitting for you. I want you to sing as I have your tongue so that all can hear the sound of when Evil is purged, the very things that hide from my beliefs will make them _fear_ to ever do the things they take for granted. In the end I'm just going to kill you much more happily."

That laughter echoed into the Beasts ears as he snarled charging forward as the boy stood there in his stance. Nyau wanted his face hung on a wall more than ever and he started to play his Teigu-Flute clearly ready to kill the Colonel who waited with his head lowered.

For five seconds he waited, as foot step after foot-step vibrated into the feet of the younger Imperial.

Nyau lunged forward snapping his teigu in half as a blade came forth underneath the interior instrument.

"Die! Saber!

Tatsumi merely smirked as his eyes flashed in delight.

"_Gotcha."_

Moving forward the Colonel watched as the little blond started to move left to right but the _image_ of the teigu was moving underneath his actual strike. Tatsumi had taken a risk that the image of a _user_ could be manipulated by the very Teigu that didn't _move_ at all and for what it was worth: it was a chance he take to get this little shit to bleed!

Smiling he waited for the small Beast to get closer as he withheld his Saber for another few more seconds...

Bringing his arm back with his heart pounding in his ears.

He _threw_ the serrated saber making Nyau suddenly veer upwards to the right as the blade impaled itself onto the deck as the sounds of metal ringing made the Teigu's own sounds get negated in mid air!

So smiling widely the little blond didn't realize that sound negated sound within the close proximity into a dull tone that couldn't be processed by the human ear drum. Tatsumi had just took a risky chance and managed to turn the tide within the duel itself!

Nyau had taken his lips off his flute to brace himself upon in landing a crouch...

And his eyes looked up as a shadow engulfed his frame.

Only for Tatsumi's knee to smash into his jaw causing an excruciating yell out in pain followed up by an elbow drop to the nasal cavity crushing the cartilage inwards into the skull and effectively breaking the smaller Beasts nose into an according like effect. The vision of the small blond flickered as he felt himself get lifted into the skies. One brief moment of a soothing sense of lightness and then...

He promptly got body slammed into the wooden deck!

The back of his neck hitting at full momentum while making him see spots of light flicker over his vision.

Cracks in the wooden plants groaned from the stress as Nyau's felt a numbness trickle into his spine.

Then came the agony feeling a hot liquid as distortions rocked his senses as the Beast looked up at the hazy outline of the Colonel who stared down at him like the an avatar of death itself. The younger Officer merely stood for a split second before stomping down _**hard **_onto the hand that held the Teigu Scream. Tatsumi had literally crushed the blond's fingers as _snapping_ sounds of bone bent under the heel of his steel boots.

"You used yourself as a means to attack opponents while having that Teigu to disorient the enemy. A sound tactic but unfortunately for you, your flute didn't move with your body. So every time you went left the flute stayed perfectly **center **in my eyes and to be fair I understood what I had to do. Yet do you want to know what I think? About you?"

Tatsumi explained while twisting his steel laced boots onto the hand of the Beast whose _broken_ knuckles and fingers releasing the wooden instrument to the deck as Nyau tried to grab it with his free limb. However the Colonel had other ideas as he brought down his other foot onto the said limb of the smaller blond. The steel material crushing the knuckles underneath the smaller hand making three of the fingers pop out of their sockets making the blond screech in pain. Splinters of bone peeked underneath the flesh bleeding red liquid.

Bones that were supposedly strong in their own rights but became twigs.

Twigs that were bending under another persons will.

Leaning down he gripped the crushed nasal appendage of the blond's face twisting it as he reflected on what he saw before him. For every word that he pronounced vindictively as the eyes on the Colonel's face became even more delighted to see that Evil had realized something about him. A primal emotion that all held in their bodies and minds whenever that end came upon them, unexpectedly.

Fear.

"You give in so easily to feel pain and yet you give so much of it out! Skinning faces? Making innocents beg for mercy and to receive only a _**sadistic **_end at the hands of a creature that deserves no mercy! I will purge Evil, evil that is you! With you as the face of it, I without fail will kill it and I will not back down from it _**ever**__!__"_

Colonel Saber enjoyed purging Evil and to make the world a better place!

So he laughed darkly seeing the look of rage appear in the smaller man's frame, he trembled as he realized something about the younger Imperial staring down at him. This wasn't a kind man who stood for justice or hope, Nyau saw _something else_ appear behind the boy whose eyes were glowing literally with an excitement that those of their professions excelled at. His heart beating as the looming doom appeared in his gaze and he could only see the very thing, he had done in his line of work. This was the look of a boy who had given in to the inner beasts but it gave him an answer to understand that look.

And this boy had killed a lot of people!

A monster only revealed itself as a side of him to relish in it!

"Fuck you. You're no different from us! You're a monster like the rest of us! You hide it like a..."

Tatsumi punched the smaller blond in the face three times, nearly breaking his jaw from the force behind it.

The full momentum of him leaning down as he slammed another fist into the Beast. Esdeath's supposed strongest subordinates that together could kill him, for sure but they had one trait that rubbed off on many.

They were arrogant!

So arrogant they underestimated him and for the life of it all: it felt good to literally take the fight to Evil! To literally gets his hands onto the Corruption and to plunge blade into very source of it all was at the side of the Emperor's own throne. It was just a start, a small tease to savor that kill whenever the future came forward to exploit itself. So until then, he'd enjoy what had been given to him and to utterly destroy it!

Muscles tightening as Tatsumi hammered down onto the half alive Teigu user who only screamed in pain as his jaw swelled beyond its normal appearance.

The Colonel stopped to inhale deeply feeling blood drip down his own hands.

The gloves were torn slightly to expose the hard skin underneath.

"A monster you say? Well then I hide it like how a smart man should do so, you little twisted miscreant of a creature. I fight like a Commander of an Army and I will _always_ find a way to win the day. I may **not **have a Teigu or even anything to make me seem special but I can still kill you fuck-head, **regardless!** So let's begin!"

Gripping the impaled Saber, buried into the wooden back and it was not even a foot away. Ever since the body throw was meant to get himself closer to his enemy, he needed the weapon now. Tatsumi lifted it as it creaked from the pressure his hand held the handle along with his eyes blazing with an emotion that made him look more akin to something other than human.

His arm tensed pointing the tip of the blade at the blond Nyau who glared defiantly at this fellow monster.

A hypocritical monster, it was so disgusting!

Spitting a glob of blood at the Colonel's face who merely smiled.

"Why so serious?"

Tatsumi vindictively rammed the sharpened blade between the shoulder and the neck of the smaller blond who screeched! Screeching in an agony as the tone of it was so high that it'd made the two combatants on the main deck pause in their fighting. Both Liver and Bulat stared upwards for a moment to take in the inhumane screaming that would've scarred many.

He didn't care! He didn't a damn about it all!

As far as he was concerned this was retribution and justice for all of those who had died at this Beast's hands!

Justice at its most sweetest hope given to him!

Within his body blood boiling for more to make do on his promises!

To end the Evil, that plagued the Empire.

The half alive youth tried to flail around but a strong grip on the top of his hair made the struggling impaled Beast stare into the eyes of his killer. The eyes that were a hellish far cry from the usual kind soul of an honest and passive boy who had ordered the lives of thousands to be put to death. He was responsible for thousands of lives buried in the dunes of the Western Territories despite the mercies he had given to those of the rebellions. Tears had shed, even though it wasn't enough to erase the stain of Sins off his soul.

Not ever in this life would he be free of Sins.

But he could only destroy the most vile of Evil to stop those atrocities from occurring ever again.

Reaching into the smaller man's jacket he found the skinning knife that he had seen the blond use on the various other victims before the caravan that held the former Prime Minister and his daughter Spear. Her eyes were replaying in his mind over and over again. Tatsumi flipped opened the knife while idly looking down at the impaled creature at his tenacious thoughts. Thoughts so causally explained, that it certainly mimicked the superiority that Nyau had done to many while skinning their faces off.

"You know I've always wondered whether you'd be at the mercy of a person who skinned your face off. For once I think you need to realize how this knife is going to skin you alive but I won't do the same thing as well. It's because personally I'd do a sloppy job, however..."

Gripping the blond's skull he slammed it down onto the wooden deck cracking bone in the process. His eyes rolling into the back of his head as Tatsumi merely leaned down whispering the promised death that had gave to one of the Three-Beasts and didn't go back on his word.

"...I'm willing to find out how bad I can be. Besides I did promise you'd sing for me when I tore your tongue out and to make you play that flute for a melody. So _hold _your requests and screams to a minimal. I'm not going to lie, it's going to hurt and this will be painfully fun for me.""

Gripping the side of the half-unconsciousness face of the Beast he pulled the creatures tongue as he gargled from the amount of saliva that had been built up and the small droplets of blood. Tatsumi brought the knife underneath the muscle and _lifted quickly_ to make the tearing of flesh sound over the main deck.

And Nyau screamed so loudly it echoed into the open seas.

Plus he started to choke on his own tongueless wounds.

Holding the appendage in front of the shrieking blond Beast the Colonel merely spoke damning the smaller cretin into the afterlife, his words causing a profound effect of hatred and terror on the struggling smaller man. Waving the tongue in front of the blond's eyes despite it twitched for a few seconds did the full hell come down upon the half-alive Beast.

Cracking his knuckles together, Tatsumi whispered the request that a melody needed to be played.

"C'mon start singing! You always wanted to play for me right? Well, give me a _show_ and _something_ to remember Nyau! Oh! Let me put the flute into your mouth its right here. So start a tune for me, will you?"

Grabbing the soon to be dead Teigu users actual instrument the Imperial Officer rammed the Teigu into the overflowing mouth of crimson and pieces of muscle being spat onto his shirt. Inhaling deeply he heard a wheezed gurgling tune fill the holes on the metallic musical instrument and he started to hum in a mocking follow up.

"What do you know, I actually enjoy listening to your melodies. Go on keep playing and I'll ask for an encore, eventually!"

Disappointingly he got fed up as the blond chocked under his grip.

It caused the tongueless blond spitting over to the side.

"...uck..ou..."

Tatsumi smirked, "What? Speak up? I didn't catch that? Cat got your tongue perhaps?"

Nyau glared at him before spiting a large amount of blood onto his face as a raspy guttural tone of voice came from the smaller Beast. The rage was there alright, that inferno of emotion that the Colonel knew all too well and just watched it transition into a blind madness of terror. He watched with emerald orbs so apathetic to it that he could only smile at the irony of this situation. One who issued death was afraid of dying to the very thing he feared the most choking on stage for a performance itself!

But he casually wiped the liquid off.

Then he heard the three words that made him finally end this purging, sadly.

"...Fuck...you...Saber!"

Tatsumi shrugged before taking the tongue off the knife and plunging into the other side of the man's upper torso causing another screeching sound that was inhumane. It sounded more akin to an animal caught in a trap that had crushed its ankles. Even Danger-Beasts couldn't maintain the pitch of this piece of Evil underneath his heel as the Colonel could only make an interesting fact about that. Shrugging to himself again, beasts were beasts regardless of the spieces in that sense.

The Colonel got up from his position towering over the half dead blond Beast.

He promptly stomped on the neck of the smaller man crushing his throat with one action.

So blood that would've been solid liquid was coughed into a misty foam!

This foam was spewing a haze like mist as his eyes rolled over and he violently became a spasm of limbs. A shame that Nyau barely any motor control as the amount of crimson choking its owners air ways even more potently. It still wasn't enough to make this bastard die in shame! The Colonel knew he'd did the world a better favor for his actions. So why did it feel so wrong, to end this life? To end this little piece of shit and ultimately not feel bad about it?

Taking his Saber impaled on its intended target, Tatsumi lifted it so that flesh slide free.

All the while aiming it at the neck area his eyes were a cold emeralds akin to a certain demonic general of the Empire.

"Soldiers we are: we the Imperial-Sabers do not flee, nor do we falter and nor do we **fail** to purge Evil from our _sights." _

With out further delay the Colonel swung his Saber down decapitating the Beast without even blinking.

"Burn in hell you little bastard."

The splatter of blood gushing out onto the wooden planks didn't bother him as much and he could only stare at the execution he had just committed. Panting lightly his arms were trembling as the head rolled onto the railing overlooking the main deck below his position and he could only look down. To actually kill that insufferable little cretin of sadism and he'd hadn't the slightest guilt in doing so, for sure he was killing the actual Evil that plagued the Empire.

Nearly this got him excited it took more than a few years to maintain his composure and it was paying off finally. That feeling of accomplishment getting closer to the sight he had waited for, to that moment in his time as a soldier and to eventually, right the wrongs that encircled his heart. Inhaling the salty air of the oceans blessings, Tatsumi watched the clouds roll over heard as he took a moment to relax.

"_It's not enough, isn't it? What a stupid question of course it's not enough, it never is!"_

The sounds of battle shook him where he stood as he looked down to see Liver and Bulat in a stalemate of sorts. Their forms locked in a fatal death struggle as Tatsumi witnessed the conclusion to their battle without being able to assist his one-time mentor that helped him while with Night-Raid. He could only watch in a stunned vision as the elder man had whipped out a knife, seeing it gleam in the fading light that parted from the clouds.

It gleamed menacingly as he tried to sprint over the railing running as fast as his body could carry itself.

Balut held the positioned to strike from behind!

"Bro! STOP! He's got a knife!"

And Liver struck fast as both fighters would meet their ends...

The warning and shout from his throat came one second too late as Incursio's spear punctured the old man through his torso spewing out his own blood onto the running Colonel and the said person who saw the knife, watched it plunge into an exposed patch of skin. His eyes took in the expression of pain and sudden shock on Bulat's exposed face as he kicked the older man away leaving the dagger like weapon embedded in the elder soldier's side. Blood trailed onto the white steel like armor as its user started to realize the full implication of that his life was over now.

Yanking it from its spot the man fell to his knees clutching his chest as Tatsumi understood why a poison could do that to a man, if they didn't have a resistance to it.

He slid over onto the man's side as he gasped in pain seeing his Teigu receded back into its form of a sword. Almost stumbling Tatsumi supported the man trying to get him standing straight but the damage was already done. He knew why that Liver would wait until the last effort to kill the enemy, he'd wanted to go out with someone other than himself it he were to fail. It was a suicide tactic when an enemy was outclassing you and the advantages were decided from the start.

"If you thought I was going to die alone Bulat. Then you'd be a fool..."

Liver wheezed out in front of them as the man was slumped against the wall where the stairs led to the bottom decks. Since Nyau's melodies had worn off, it'd be making the guest down below wake up from their forces slumbers. Tatsumi could only shift his own body to support the weakening Incursio's users frame, the poison that the old man had used spread quicker into the blood stream of the elder soldier that was respected by the younger Officer. Unbidden to their owners thoughts, tears were starting to form and they were slowly dripping past his cheek. That overwhelming sense of anger and hopelessness folded onto his heart akin to the night where Sheele had been killed by his own hands.

It was the same!

Like that night when he had to choose.

Always the same fucking thing! Why did he always have to get people who he considered friends killed? He got another person who didn't deserve to die to see their end and it didn't matter! It didn't matter how much accomplishment he took in today, pain was pain and it always lead back into his heart! Nothing was worth this insanity of agony pain that coursed through his veins! Always his actions had a cost, always was it high to pay and it never ceased!

Dipping his head tears dropped to hit the wooden plants of the vessel.

Also Bulat's own crimson wounds mixed with the salty droplets of sorrow themselves.

"I wouldn't expect anything less, General..."

That revelation made the Colonel just tremble in stunned disbelief at the truth. It made both men glance at the boy whose entire body was soaked in a bloody visual that pictured a sinister person. Majority of the white uniform had been saturated in red, along the chest portion as long streams went down his legs and both pairs of eyes witnessed the bloodied face of a Colonel whose gaze made two different forms of answers come forth.

"Is that your, legacy Bulat? A boy with dreams that are too improbable to achieve in this life?"

Feeling the man literally collapse onto his feet Tatsumi slowly put the dying man down into a leaning position.

Propping his back against his knees the elder soldier only grinned with a small trail of red going down his chin. He coughed violently struggling to maintain a clear mind as the need to sleep surged forward and if he closed his eyes the Hundred-Man-Slayer knew that it'd be game over. At least not until explaining his hopes and dreams, to be passed onwards at the best of his time to live. Summoning his strength the soldier told his former teacher and General, the reasoning he believed in the bloodied visage that was Tatsumi.

"I'd say he's as close to it as a brother passes the responsibility to a younger one. General, you didn't see what I witnessed in this boy..."

A fit of coughs interrupted the man who winced as the poison worked against its targets will to live, the organ that kept on beating would lose but the struggle would be fierce. His heavily implied breathing made Tatsumi keep his head lowered as tears continued to stream down his face, knowing that a person he could come to respect and to befriend, had to die in front of him. Again no less by his involvement at the actions of a battle and he couldn't have been there to land a hand.

"Bulat. That boy is just another endless result of a world that is dying. He has the eyes of my cherished Lady but..."

The old General of the Empire stared up at the skies watching the sun hide out of sight.

Birds were flying above as the stink of corpses and death enticed them for a free meal.

The old man just struggled to maintain a low heart rate as his very life liquid spilled behind his frame on the wooden planks.

"...He hides behind a mask of hope and justice. For what reasons, I know not. I can see your fate _boy_ and you try so hard, to deny it. That nature has not yet consumed you but it will and when it does. You will only fall into despair as many who have tried before in my time alive."

Tatsumi felt his mind go numb at the comparison to the woman who was considered the strongest of the Empire. To be compared to her wasn't a good thing in the sense of how ruthless and uncaring she was under that belief of hers. Arms were useless to try to justify a defense but now, he realized something utterly _rationalized_ as the corpse of the youngest Beast crossed over into his mind.

The way he enjoyed picking him apart, enjoying the expressions and maintain a sense of dominance that only filled his veins with adrenaline of the highest ecstasies. Liver's details of his assumptions were clear that he thought of Tatsumi as another Beast in his own right. That thought made him pale as his stomach lurched at the thoughts alone.

Liver wasn't making up a dying man's rambling but speaking of a truthful opinion.

Which was far more terrifying for him to admit it openly...

"No. You're wrong, General."

Bulat had remained silent while having his head bowed from the weakness his body succumbing to the poison in his veins. His voice grew fainter nearly to the point where it'd be hard for the dying old man to manage but they did. Their opinions were classing over the resolve of a boy, who had experienced the same amount of despair that many would end their lives from. Tatsumi didn't want to speak due to his fears of such thoughts, becoming a true reality.

"Tatsumi maybe rough around the edges as many of us are but he's becoming something greater than neither of us could ever achieve. He has the look of a Great man that is just understanding the world, a world beyond the black and white it pertains too. He's just finding his way to that dream, it's a dream that he has cried for to make this world a better tomorrow..."

Liver's silence spoke volumes as Bulat continued weakly feeling a dizziness swim onto his vision.

"...Mistakes are made to those who stumble on their way, General. You taught me that every decision we take, is just a future we choose to strive for and for that end alone, I entrust mine for Tatsumi to strive for. A peace to be made in the form of our dreams as soldiers."

The man shuddered as the temperature of his skin heated up, Tatsumi finally found the strength to grip the larger man's hand in his own and just squeezed. While he held no romance for those in the same gender, he could honor a fallen battle-brother of the Imperial-Sabers in the same rights to death in the Emperor's name. Crushing the fading soldier's hand, the Colonel maintained his silence as the conversations between former comrades continued despite the crash of waves on the sides of the vessel, with birds cawing overhead and the lack of any ceremony made this affair painful.

"A peace you say? This world is beyond that point Bulat and for that end alone, I'll see you at the place were all soldiers find at the dream waiting."

The old man softly spoke making Tatsumi look over as he addressed him. The man's eyes bore into his own teary emerald orbs and for a sliver of a second, the Colonel witnessed _hope_ drift into eldest of the Three-Beasts who lay there dying. Feeling the vessel rock left to right, the young Imperial listened to the advice of an elder General, who had made mistakes and could ultimate impart the weight of choices that extended into the next life that awaited them all.

"Colonel Saber. You have good intentions as did many of us who held the same dreams, hell is paved with good intentions. Always remember that a dream is just a dream unless one cannot hope to see that change come to them. To understand what they will become in order to see that end and as soldiers we bare the weight of our decisions as leaders. As for you Bulat I'll await you there and I'm happy to die on the battlefield of my choosing, finally..."

And with those last words General Liver, the last of Esdeath's Three-Beasts were dead.

Passing on into the skies where the heavens embraced the loyal sons of those born in the womb of War and to be baptized by the fires of chaos that emulated their lives. The last rites of an old soldier passed onto the legacy of the younger generations who bore the weight of Sins, to see a dream that both the Empire continued to hide from those that were seeking it.

Tatsumi watched with tears flowing down his cheeks hitting Bulat on his forehead.

His eyes were dimming as the second to fall to death's gentle embrace soon came upon the boy's senses.

"Tatsumi, I want you to bear Incursio in my name. Find a use for the armor that holds my dreams and my legacy for you to endure. I need someone to remember the resolve I had to say, 'I could die, happy' and to be able to pass on. Can you accept this?"

This request came from a dying man, who the Colonel could come to love as a teacher in another life. That agonizing fire of loss, coming full circle as he bit his lips trying to stop the sounds of grief to plague the older soldiers mind before he passed. Thoughts were running through his head, the weight of sending another close friend to death and to be able to maintain such a path, was nearly impossible to accept again.

Another life claimed due to his actions and direct influences.

Tatsumi stayed silent, trying to maintain his tears.

"Bro..._"_

The request couldn't be accepted!

This god damned pain inside his hear, due to the Sins of his past and present were too much! The Armor may _accept _him as a wielder but he could _not_ accept it as a weapon to attain his dreams. The teigu wasn't meant for a cursed soul such as him. It just wouldn't be right, Bulat deserved someone who could fight onwards and to fight for a peace against the Empire. This was what the full weight of denying the man's request as this was the weight of Sin, this was the full weight of penance and he couldn't use the Incursio armor due to his own inability to accept reality.

"I **can't** accept it. You're asking the wrong man to take up the mantle of your dreams. My loyalty to the Emperor and to the Empire is unto Death. To accept Incursio is break my_ promise_ to the Emperor himself, if break that promise I'm to _deny_ hope and to _deny_ faith to those willing to_ see _a better tomorrow. So that things like _this_ don't have to drive a heart full of madness, I know for a fact that your teigu will hate me to be full of rejection and so full of sickness, it'd be too much to bare..."

Bulat smiled weakly looking at him as his forehead lay on the lap of the Colonel who had adjusted to make the soon to be corpse, comfortable and could only wait the last minutes of this man's life end. His arms were shaking to the point of uncontrollable feelings of rage that were sinking into his veins. It was poisoning his heart, making every moment so ungodly painful he just looked to the skies crying his very soul out and eventually, the tears would run dry.

But the pain in his heart would never run empty until the end of his suffering came to the light.

"I understand, so find someone who can. I entrust this task to you Tatsumi and if it's not too much to ask for. Do you know anything to make this passing memorable? Hell do you anything to make the best way a man can sleep?"

Tatsumi's eyes closed as the tears were becoming harder to form.

His lips gritting to hide the pressure his teeth and stop urge to yell out to hate this damned world!

"I know one song but its not a song. It's chant of rites I came up with for my men in my Legion. Bro, do you want to know what we sang after those we had to kill or for those who died in our time? Do you want to hear what we sang to those who died before our eyes? When all the blood is no longer being spilled?"

The man _squeezed_ his hand in return giving the Colonel all he needed for a man to say 'yes'.

But he started to sing a rite of passage into the heavens as the Imperial-Sabers held a soft memorial poem about the lives of those in service and to find eternal peace. Where Glory reined in all the hearts of men and women in the service of their leaders, the Emperor's of the past to guide their spirits into an Elysium of Faith and Hope to be eternally everlasting. So every tear shed now was not to be wasted on petty what-if's but of how to endure the path that he had to step forth onto once again.

"For we who are Flesh and Steel; begotten to our fates as we fall.

We remember; not your time to die not as a means to mourn.

But as a means to join you in time, for the Glory that await us all.

For we who are Flesh and Steel; begotten to our fates as we endure.

In death, is not a means to an end. Death is but our journey to our peace.

So we shall endure with Hope that is reached and to be afar.

Afar that is Faith to be revered as we enter our eternal Rest.

Rest that is given, to those who serve to die begotten to our fates.

For we who are Flesh and Steel; our Brothers and Sisters who await us.

We shall never forget, never shall we forget what you gave in life."

The breathing of the Hundred-Man-Slayer slowed to the point where the heart that beat within the chest of a person who Tatsumi called friend, brother and mentor for a brief time could only grieve alone in the world of cruelty. A world that had to change, a world that had to change for the better or those that would follow in his steps, suffer the same fate as he was now.

He shook with emotions that were bottled up beyond the point of no return.

Tatsumi could only stop crying as the tears ran dry.

But that aching in his heat only grew.

Inhaling shakily he took the blade of Incursio and hitched it to his hip: honoring the request of a fallen soldier who had no right to die here. However fate had gave the hand of death, but alas it gave the push for a drive to change the world that was so attuned to the ends of life. Nothing good could come from War, more so than the Corruption that fueled the fires of Chaos and for that end alone: Tatsumi Saber would stand against it as always.

He had to endure it.

Enduring a pain so great that it'd kill him in the end if he couldn't reach the dream.

So he stood up putting the hands of the his one time mentor and brother in arms, as a soldier to rest upon his own chest. The peaceful expression of the man in the eternal rest, could only be remembered as the one of many who would see the end of War and he'd join them after his life amongst the world was over.

But until that day when he died.

It'd be the day he was judged.

"I will continue onwards fighting for those like us."

The sun parted bathing the deck of carnage in a warm light.

"Sweet dreams, Handsome."

Staring at the body of his friend the Colonel let the warmth wash over his frame.

But for the life of him...

Tatsumi just felt hollow.

So as he heard the first voices of the citizens of the Empire awaken to the bloody massacre that was below his position he prepared himself, to see that Hope wasn't dead yet. It wasn't time for him to die. He couldn't wait to see night fall to wash away this daily cycle of death once more. A cycle that made him wish for one thing that certainly stood out as a soldier, one who knew the agonies of continuing towards a seemingly impossible dream.

A dream that might as well have killed him.

**End Chapter Ten **

**Author's Note:** Review please, it always makes me happier to see responses and I want to reach a goal of one thousand. Yeah its asking a bit much but hey, I got a thing called time.

The Chant above (I honestly had ten people to give me recommendations, a few told me to change it but most said leave it be) is a reference to Warhammer40k, note I didn't ripe anything off and I honestly was shocked to make sure I didn't do anything of that sense. It's not my intention to plagiarize and I do respect the source material from where it inspired me. Most people told me keep it that length and say wing the storm or praises or insults, I don't go poetry in that sense of a professional. I'm a schmuck when it comes down to witty pretty poems that rhyme, point is I left it there to make you readers (understand) the severity of what Tatsumi experiences.

And two paragraphs the ten lines is not a long chant (The NCO Creed and Officers Creed of the U.S Army are both a hell of a lot longer) I can say I once knew the Soldier's Creed of the U.S Army by heart and that thing is about thirteen lines? I just felt the need to show you a more in depth sorrow as a soldier mourns a friend and they can't do jack shit to save them, poison is poison and it never ends well.

I like to say that a few things have been made clear and some are only just beginning to form that there is more to Tatsumi than that 'hope' and 'justice' ideals that I made him consistently repeat. There's a reason for it, at times it seems redundant and mind grudging boring to read but when events like that incident with Nyau occur: it makes you think about what he does at times. Is he truly a good person or is he really a twisted person like those we've come to see in the Akame-Ga-Kiru universe that defines them as killers.**  
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Murder is murder, regardless of what Tatsumi's intentions are or what he plans to do.

He has killed thousands, again good intentions or not: the consequences and sheer weight imply negative outlooks...

Just ask yourself if you had to order that many people to die and the bad always out shot the good.

Does that give him the right as to why he continuously tries to justify this more _twisted _personality that is a jaded mentality? Apart from this quick but brutal fight, its not over the top since again Tatsumi was _underestimated_ by an arrogant opponent who enjoys pain more so to finish him off. I kept this fight grounded and more so to avoid the flashier battle between Liver/Bulat (It's the same as canon so I didn't feel the need to write that out) which you can see in the anime for your guilty pleasure. I enjoy _explaining_ this to you readers, it clarifies some clunky grammar at times and I feel the need to express myself near the end of all these chapters.

It gives you a more explained version if you can't catch or what not, its all for good fun on my part to do this for your entertainment to read/review this story.

Moving onwards towards the more _popular questions_.

Is Tatsumi getting a Teigu: Oh Yes, it also involves everyone who helped me design Teigus and OC's which (Spoiler: Is the Next ARC) the coming chapters flush out. I say this with the utmost excitement for you to enjoy the pleasures you have thought of to help me and I in turn, give you the suspense to find out as to _who_ and _what _is coming to help out Tatsumi rise to that dream of: changing the Empire. Be patient, you'll see in the coming chapters and have hope in your choices.

Incursio on the other hand, the Manga essentially _proved a theory _I had always suspected: that it's alive!

Literally a Teigu that adapts from user to user, is alive and sentient to a degree. I honestly had it in my gut to know Incursio and by extension, other Teigu were that blended line of science and magic to create weapons that are alive. Sussano/Koro are living creatures, constructed but they _feel and learn_ like people or any other intelligent being! Plus the unreal Power boost Tatsumi gets (in-canon) really just makes it predictable, hell that manga has been predictable for some time and I really am terrified to have go a cliche route of an ending.

So what does that for this story: I have an answer in the form of a new Teigu...

Hold your thought process of saying, '_Oh god over-powered weapon_' because its NOT that simple. Minor warning this Teigu will essentially have more harm than good attached to it and its based on the user's own ability to understand a double edge sword. To those who I've _discussed_ this with keep your mouths shut please or god forbid I will end this update or story here.

My point is this Teigu will have more dangers than rewards per say as long as Tatsumi (in this story) understands power is not willingly given without consequence.

So anyhow the next ARC will split from whatever I've done in the past ten chapters, literally this is end the Threat-Beasts ARC as things will change and you will see new things as they come forth. Foreshadowing shout outs to those who sent in OC's, Teigus and all the works: be prepared to see familiar creations come to life and interact with the story. The time is coming and be aware, I'm writing twenty one I think at this time.

Plenty of time (as I said earlier) to wait.

I hope everyone is safe, is well and I hope you have good fortunes in wherever you're at.


	12. Chapter XI

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Eleven**

Kneeling before the golden-throne of the Empire Colonel Tatsumi Saber felt a subtle peace which had been always when in the presence of the Emperor who sat there, but it wasn't without cost. Even with the Prime Minister at his side, Tatsumi felt numb mainly. The atmosphere was bitter sweet, the sunlight above the glass dome hit the top of his head. His eyes were closed and his posture straightened to give nothing but respect to the ruler of the Empire. Tatsumi had been summoned to the throne-room exactly one day after returning from the incidents on the cruise-ship Ryuusen.

Overall the mission wasn't the best success but it technically wasn't a failure, in the eyes of those in power of the system.

No Teigu were recovered from Night-Raid.

Although none of the Empire's Teigu were lost either. Night-Raid lost another member but Esdeath lost her three greatest subordinates that were nonetheless under the ground in plots of earth in the Imperial cemetery within the Capital itself. She had yet to go visit the graves due to the fact that Tatsumi himself had seemed more withdrawn than anyone could say they've seen him.

The Colonel's expression borderline apathetic or even hollowed into a soldier who had seen too much of whatever to cause his heart to die. Even if the pain was there, it didn't come close too as the night had passed without incident. As sleep had claimed the young Officer before the day on hand, which came at the rising of the sun. The dawn of another day just in the life of a soldier who was fighting for his nation once more.

A soldier kneeling at the base of throne doing what could to maintain the peaceful expression on his face to forget the horrors he had gone though.

"I must admit your Majesty, that you have an unexpected talent for inspiring such loyal soldiers to your good fortunes. I'm slightly jealous."

The very voice of the source of all corruption snaked out, making Tatsumi mentally maintain his discipline to kneel before the Emperor. Not rising to the barbed threats lining that question, the young Colonel could only feel the notions of a passive stance to do what he had to deal with. Taking the time to study the sight of details his eyes held at the base of the golden-throne, which held inscriptions of some kind up all the base of stairs to the actual golden seat where the Emperor provided to oversee the Empires daily activities. Which had been a farce as Prime Minister Honest ate another leg of meat from a plate, disturbingly comfortable to watch the soldiers kneeling at the base of the throne.

Tatsumi hadn't been summoned here alone.

General Esdeath stood in a similar pose at his side.

Their only differences were their strengths and the ranks as they maintained submissive respects although to who were also very different. One of them knelt for the Emperor the ruler of the Empire they served and held the hope for him to open his eyes to the state of his own nation. While the far more powerful General maintained her loyalties to the Minister for her own personal gains and the utter continuing of the corruption that had crippled the Empire she wanted to fight for. The two soldiers had potentially devastating consequences if they placed reasons onto their motives towards their hearts. What they two had in common was that they could only obey, obey whatever was tasked of them to reach their goals.

And dreams respectively.

"I'm embarrassed Prime Minister, please. We must reward Colonel Saber for his deeds for the Empire, I must insist since we have two new Teigu, correct?"

The child-emperor spoke asking his trusted adviser who took on a thoughtful expression. The man wasn't fundamentally anxious or even remotely troubled that half a dozen of his supporters were killed in the cruise-ship along with the Three-Beasts. Many of those slain were to be buried in their own private estates and whoever couldn't such a luxury, had the honor being burned to maintain the space in cemeteries for those who died in the Emperor's service and less so have the right to be remembered.

Tatsumi hadn't commented about what had been done to Bulat's corpse and could only maintain his expression of a passive soldier, loyalty to the Emperor first and his will to be done in the name of the Empire. Despite the very twisted_ creature _masquerading as a man, standing a good ten to fifteen meters away. He managed to calm himself down in his kneeling position awaiting the orders and tasks from the boy who could command him of anything.

"If I may interject, My Emperor."

General Esdeath spoke up softly, so the Emperor and the Prime Minister allowed the blue haired beauty to say her piece. They held her strength in high esteem and opinions were quite heavily valued to be heard. They wanted to know her say on the matters of her 'conquest' of the Colonel to see where he stood on the chain of power that held the Empire firm and in its current state of unrest. Neither the Child-Emperor could see the look of an intensive monster stand behind him on the side of the Throne, as the Strongest of the Empire's Generals second to the Great-General Budo give her opinion on the matter at hand.

"Due to my _lovers_ actions when it comes down to Night-Raid: he's surprisingly effective at tackling opponents of a greater level. While he may not be able to stand against myself, or a few of our finest Teigu-users in the Empire, I can admit we have _two _new weapons in our armories plus with the retrieval of my former Beasts Teigu, none were lost. However the most promising victory of this is that the Hundred-Man-Slayer of Night-Raid is dead and his Teigu has been lost to the oceans of the East. So, we may never have such a formidable _armor_ teigu against the reign of the yourself my Emperor."

The General took her time as the Emperor and the Prime Minister pondered her words in their separate manners. The silence of the said Colonel who was responsible for the best outcomes they could see so far and the amount of Teigu in their possession had been silent. Neither the Minister nor Esdeath could make him speak if he wasn't commanded by the one he served near zealously.

The two weren't ignorant to see that devotion in the eyes of the young man whose growth started to show despite his quick time amongst the Imperial Capital and as such he needed a reward to maintain that drive of growth for her own personal desires. Esdeath just smiled inwardly to herself, Tatsumi managed to use what little he had learned from her and translate it into results.

Which was heart warming enough to make her sigh in _ecstasy_ to see him do so.

"I have only to offer my wish that my lover is be rewarded by you, my Emperor. Undoubtedly it'd make him much more happier to serve in your name and to recognize strength, the strength of a soldier who was never asked for any personal gains. I'm sure the Prime Minister sees value despite whereas it comes from and for that end alone, the results do not lie."

She stopped ending her opinion a relatively positive note much to the silent suspicions that were floating within the person of said topic.

Tatsumi didn't get this woman's angle on him!

Why did she support in this instance? He held his suspicions close but his heartbeat rose a bit strongly to hear the _slight_ praises in the woman's tone. Whether she tried to get him riled up, or tried to get him to bend to her own beliefs but getting a slight praise of sorts from the Strongest of the Empire, had its merits. The only stipulation to suffer from such a person speaking of such things was his inability to accept it based on his morals.

So Tatsumi didn't know what to think of Esdeath at this moment.

While granted her praises were of an uneasy merit but it was a sign that he was getting stronger for sure.

Her expression a calm peace when one found their place in the world and had found their utter, singular desire to keep themselves happy in the said world. The young Colonel couldn't explain it, this expression on her face at all and it looked like...

It looked like Esdeath _enjoyed_ praising his growth to show the world her own desires were coming true.

"_I don't get it, all I've done is just kill and put those around me into Death's waiting arms. Every action and choice I've made, is all but full of Sin. So that gives an entitlement to a reward? What a load of crap but if they want see blood, so be it. Never look a gift horse in the mouth Tatsumi. Use this situation, just use it and make the very best of it count on this battlefield..."_

The Emperor pondered intently to the point where he looked to the Prime Minister who nodded, encouraging the boy to speak his mind to the loyal soldiers at the base of the throne. The woman had brought up some very positive remarks, very clear indications of where her choice of love was heading too and the young Saber himself, indeed had **never** asked for any personal reward of him.

So the child-emperor could only smile warmly at the Colonel who had maintained a passive face while avoiding to look him in the eye: as a means to respect his position foremost, as the only one to serve his will. This older boy, who could pass off as sibling to most only impressed the Emperor himself and for that end alone.

He would grant anything within his power, to make this loyal soldier more content to continue giving results to the problems that plagued his Empire.

"Colonel..."

Makoto said his title very kindly making the said soldier raise his head staring up at the Imperial ruler of the Empire. His face betrayed nothing but a serenity to be addressed by the one person, he swore loyalty unto death for and hadn't even flinched when Prime Minister Honest bit into the piece of meat on a platter next to the Golden-Throne. Keeping eye contact with the Emperor, Tatsumi listened as a choice could be made for him to use to further his chances of seeing his ideals come to reality. It wasn't a guarantee to see that day come soon, but it'd be the best place to start taking the first steps towards an impossible dream, that could be made for all to bare witness. Inhaling through his nose the young Colonel awaited his Emperors will and to obey what was asked of him for the Empire.

For nothing else mattered in that spam of time to be passed.

So a moment went by as the questions were asked gently and kindly.

"...What do you desire to be given to you, in my name? I ask only with the certainty you have an answer that is within my power to give. You're a soldier, one who has clearly given me my confidence to witness your efforts to help the Empire. So please, tell me how can I reward the upcoming Colonel Saber for his deeds so far? Don't hold back for I wish to know."

Despite the gaze of the _abomination_ behind the Emperor, the young man felt his heart glow with the praises from the one he would only obey.

Obeying the orders to the letter so that very words issued and feeling a weight settle onto shoulders, perhaps witnessing hope wasn't as bad when trying to find it. There was still a chance remaining in those that wish for change from within. Sighing lightly Tatsumi had to consider his options to the point of where he had to use this opportunity to further increase his chances to see that dream come closer. He started to exhale slowly as his heart beat relaxed when he thought back on what he knew of his own _deeds_ in the Western Territories. Eventually people were actively going to come to the Capital on their own will and do what was needed to see that change could be done.

They'd seek him out, somehow.

To garner enough strength to make the Emperor open his eyes to his nation.

"_You're a Commander. You have an army, its something and many of those who are against the Prime Minister do not have. Influence is only as good as the strength to back it up and many have fled to the Revolutionary Armies that are building up in the South."_

A half alive Spear's words came back to drift into his ears, seeing her struggle to keep herself alive to tell him. Making him think incredibly attentive to the possibility of having an army again. That guarantee if those wanted to fight for change within the System, held that weight for change. Spear believed that, a last sign of hope for the Empire to change. If he placed her words in that sense, so why did he feel nothing but excitement?

Excitement...

To feel to that after all the pain he'd endured, he knew it was a a sign for change and it came forth now!

That revelation resounded into his heart making it thunder in his ears as he realized that without any sort of _strength_ to back up his words: it was meaningless to fight on his own. It was like that spar with Esdeath all over again! He had to have a follow up to the quick strikes that were his words but without _brute_ strength to counter-measure the retaliation of an enemy, he'd ultimately fall down to be defeated.

Feeling a hidden terror, this all lead to the woman kneeling next to him as her words in that lesson came back.

Control and the illusion of having it came to mind.

"_Do I have control or is all this the illusion, to give to me? Do I have control of my life or am I being strung along to be played by Esdeath, or this creature in front of me? Damn it all, I know I don't have a choice but if its given to me. Then I have to see what I can use in order for a greater good, I have to be strong in order for those who are weak to live, to help me. Oh god..."_

Tatsumi realized a subtle horrific truth about General Esdeath's lesson on that morning some time ago.

She was more right now, than him in that sense...

But she was wrong at least in a way that she didn't see what he was starting to picture.

Her words were that of a singular tactician but she someone with power. Esdeath was someone who had a singular vision which drove the true force behind an army to claim conquests over enemies, conquests. The Colonel felt a shiver run his spine as realized a bitter-sweet moment, at least about the woman who conquered so viciously. He understood why Esdeath could destroy so many and subject so many enemies of the Empire. It wasn't due to a shrewd tactics of formations or even to adaptability of the terrains.

Esdeath could follow up with _brute force_ to initially break any stalemate...

Not just break it but to absolutely crush it and carry onwards without fearing the repercussions.

Like the situation he was in when it came to fighting for change.

Bringing himself to the time in that sparring field when he had first met her. He had lost because of his inability to follow-up after an initial piercing strike, really to have that lack brute force to maintain that advantage in a fight had cost him, the victory. If one couldn't have brute strength then without that weight behind their speeds to strike an opponent he realized: it was useless to even continue. The young Colonel could only realize this as he continued to give an answer to the Emperor whose smile only maintained that discipline as a Commander, to never lose sight of a plan to see him win the day.

It almost made him laugh.

Really it almost made him laugh out loud and he exhaled heavily as a result.

"_I guess epiphanies can make or break, a man. Hell, that's kind of scary of how bad this could be and how good I can use this. I don't believe it, Esdeath gave me an answer. All by beating me down provides into a hole, I need strength and weight behind my words. I guess that's what they why people talk about getting knocked around in the head..."_

Trying to form the right words to instill his own beliefs and trying to understand the reality of this weight if the Emperor granted him this reward. This answer that slowly started to take shape and what more to see that path of an ideal come to this reality. He didn't know whether to take a chance on this moment, that hesitation could cost him possibly his own means to attain this dream and the ideals, that were fundamental to the foundations of the Empire at its conception so many centuries prior.

Wincing internally this was a key moment for him to use to his absolute advantage to try to attain the strength for those to fight for change, to see that this system faded away into the future that lay before the Nation that he loved. Inhaling again to steady himself for this answer and to obey the will of the Emperor, Tatsumi just felt a sense of excitement knowing that...

This battlefield for the fate of the Empire had started to change.

Hope hadn't perished in the face of Evil.

And he would not back down, ever.

"My Emperor, I do have a request. But I feel it is selfish and I ask only that you realize, I've only wished to be remembered in your service and to have your will as my own. Forgive my doubts but it is of my own heart that I'm revealing this to you..."

The words made the child-emperor only smile, to start laughing lightly while covering his mouth. The Imperial Ruler wasn't offended but merely thought the young Colonel's words were to amusing to say of such loyalty and honesty for him speaking. So he motioned to the young Imperial Officer who swallowed the saliva building up in his mouth to steady his wavering spirit to be asking the Emperor for something that was indeed selfish to ask of him. An alien feeling of resolve to speak made the young Colonel only stare intently into the gaze of the Emperor who he had no right to ask of this but he would obey: the orders given to reveal a desire in his heart for a reason beyond the throne room.

But this was a selfish reason for a cause beyond any selfless man to strive as his goal.

"Go on, Colonel. It is alright if it is within my power. I shall give to you what you seek."

Feeling the weight growing on his shoulders the young man closed his eyes while witnessing the Will of the Emperor being asked of him, to obey and he gladly accepted this weight of risk that anchored him in his kneeling position. The sunlight above the glass dome in the skies warmed his back to the point where the heart, maintained the cold uncertainty that gripped his heart and he felt his blood rush over into his body to give strength.

That feeling of fire burned in to the eyes of emerald orbs shining behind their lids that wished to inspire all who wanted to fight for change. Clenching both fists Tatsumi's voice broke the brief silence as the other two beings in the room witnessed a small subtle shift in the youngest officer of the Imperial Army in this generation.

The witnessed a resolve so firm and unyielding.

It became akin to steel itself.

"What I seek my Emperor is to further our means to destroy Night-Raid. Despite the progress we have made against them, we're to be assumed that they have resources that are within the growing Revolutionary Armies in the Southern regions. While I have killed two of their members, capturing one and removing weaponry used against us. It is _not_ enough to warrant the fact that they can replace their numbers due to the Revolutionaries themselves..."

He paused as his views on the current missions spoke volumes of his tenacity to maintain a discipline that further made Esdeath smile since it was their duty to destroy the assassination group. The Prime Minister kept an eye on the General herself who wasn't bothered by the boy's words and he merely waited for such an event to pass over. Results mattered regardless of their positions and origins as the Colonel continued explaining an answer that wasn't easy to maintain for those to hear it.

"...Night-Raid could possibly have reinforcements to increase their groups capability to operate within the Imperial-Capital's walls and we have to_ tighten_ their ability to move _freely_, for them to know that they will not be able to do as they _please_, to undermine the Empire and to threaten the entire stability with fear. Terror shall _not _claim the hearts of those who fight and for that end alone They will learn to _fear _what it means to challenge the Empire, so I have a solution they will _fear _the consequences of maintaining their existence."

The tone of voice rising to a near zeal like promise as the Emperor leaned forward ever so slightly, to hear the next few words that the young Colonel was proposing. His eyes were still closed, maintaining that submissive loyalty to him and for that reason the Child-Emperor looked eager to hear what the young Imperial wished to have.

"I wish for my Legion, the Imperial Sabers to be stationed here in the heart of the Empire as a means of escalation of force against these assassins that can believe and assume to walk freely in. I wish to Command the very soldiers, I hand picked and I know that will utterly follow your will to the end my Emperor. Its to show that the Empire as a whole that we maintain an edge and that edge will make them _fear _us! We will offer no mercy to them or give a clean sign of letting up against to those who stand against us..."

Taking a breath his body internally trembling as the full extent of what he was doing and requiring hit him hard. An entire legion of men to fight Night-Raid and to ultimately be housed within a section of the Capital screamed a little to be overkill, but for the sake of his hope and ideals, it'd had to be done! So he continued explaining while using this reward from the Emperor to the fullest capacity that he could use to win on the battlefield that he was on right now.

"So I ask to be in Command of such of my Legion, reporting directly under to your orders my Emperor and by extension to be under General Esdeath respectfully as a means to oversee where our potential tactical layouts will be to entrap Night-Raid when they appear. That is what I seek from you, my Emperor and I again ask to humbly state this is a selfish reason of mine. I've asked nothing other than what you have ordered, so for that I accept any answer that you will give and I will only obey."

Feeling his heart race the young Imperial couldn't consider what he had just nearly spoke out for and what in the hell this terror that had gripped his heart. Nothing in his previous experiences had essentially come close to this, to have that chance for change come forth and understand if there wasn't any strings attached...

He had to act!

Quickly!

He was one word away from saying things and these notions could have gotten him hanged at the gallows for such _cautionary_ beliefs. Sweat nearly went down his neck as his body heated up when the silence of his desires maintained itself and he could only hope for such a resolution would end in his good will. The mere idea of using a Legion for a group of assassins wasn't just overkill but that single amount of quantity of soldiers to be used for a specific purpose hadn't been done before in the recent history of the Empire.

While the sheer size maybe a bit over-killing on the capital's ability to handle the Night-Raid Assassins but there was one reason he needed so many men as a means to pertain to a point that these Assassins held over most conventional soldiers.

They were Teigu users.

Deadly users at that and to have as much strength to combat them would negate that advantage enough to the point where even the Empire could overwhelm them. This was where he had to maintain his firm stance on his own abilities to see the bigger picture when it came down to assisting the Capital to purge the Evil and corruption within its citizens. Also more importantly it made the ideal of his own goals to carry a weight behind them if one wanted to buckle heads against him. Namely the Prime Minister himself which by no means was an easy feat to combat such a foe.

Tatsumi knew that from a tactical and resourceful stand point.

One Legion of ten-thousand against a fully mustered Army of hundred fifty-thousand, Esdeath's own army as Honest's ally wouldn't be much of use if an open conflict broke out but it was _something!_

"_Though can the Empire muster a response force, if my Legion is already housed within the Capital? It'd be an essence of time mainly but stop thinking about that. One step at a time and focus on the tasks on hand. Remain calm and wait, time is your ally Tatsumi."_

He needed some sort of strength, a weight of power to make those who _feared _him to pause.

Right more than anything needed something beyond mere words to have anyone stand with him to see the full extent of those who'd stand with the idea to change the System. To have any sort of backing would provide hope but at the expense of him wandering into dangerous territory to paint a large target on his head and he had no idea if he'd live past the year to see anything change in that sense...

But if Evil _feared_ him.

Why wouldn't it be a _great _start?

The Colonel just shook with indignation as the full anxiety hit him hard in the organ that kept him amongst the living and it started to really, make him uneasy to be in the gaze of the _abomination_ that could try to kill him quickly. Honestly nothing could prepared him for whatever had to come, this dream of his wouldn't be any easier and the fact that he had asked for such an increase in responsibility without the benefit of a doubt in being a General was a bit far-fetched to go on. Due to the System in place the Imperial-Armies were given rewards because of something that ultimately showed.

Normally Generals had a crutch to lean on, so for this type of wish from the Emperor succeed, it was those results that had to matter. Tatsumi was gambling with his results in the Western Territories as a Commander of the Imperial Sabers, to fight for change. The effects didn't lie to those who witnessed the placation of a region marred by rebellions alone and absolutely in this regard results mattered.

Results always mattered!

"An entire legion Colonel? Isn't that a bit much to deal with Night-Raid? Prime Minister, do we have the means and space to house such a force near the Imperial Palace?"

Makoto inquired curiously to his adviser who took a moment to actually think about such a move and if the Capital held the quarters for such a force. The resources wouldn't be too much to deal with as the Imperial-Police had tens to hundreds of thousands of soldiers of their own within the confines of the Capitals walls.

The silence from him though made an unexpected voice of agreement speak up...

Esdeath interjected respectfully and endorsed the move positively, well.

Tatsumi nearly lost the ability to breathe out of shock.

"Such a move would work in parallel to a new group that is being formed, my Emperor. The Prime Minister and I have formally agreed to combat Night-Raid with Teigu users based within the Empire itself, so this move is a front of increased capabilities to withhold our mission to destroy Night-Raid utterly."

Her eyes were half opened as she maintained a degree of cool professionalism as a General of her position and had the Emperor's full attention.

The Prime Minister only smiled still completely comfortable despite the mood of the actual throne-room and he agreed with Esdeath's own remarks. Her presence alone would dissuade many things to settle within the Capital and housing a single Legion was not completely out of the question. So he continued eating his food, listening idly to the blue-haired woman's opinions once again.

"Tatsumi is correct to assume we can _**not**_ show mercy or leniency to those that undermine the Empire, having a force of _battle-tested_ Legionnaires to maintain a rapid deployment to zones that Night-Raid is narrowed down in the city itself. It will make subduing them easier for the Teigu Users of my new group. We'd mainly use them as a means to keep them contained and we come in, to merely crush them once they are trapped or herded into another sector of the Capital. It's far more _effective_ to just wait and have conventional forces seek out potential spots for this Assassin Group to strike..."

She ended the observations on a good note much to Tatsumi's own beating heart-rate.

His ears were in disbelief at what he had just heard and it frankly terrified him due to the motives that were shadowed by this woman's face. She seemed perfectly content to allow such a force to be used and to be fair the Colonel wanted to know _why_ she was supporting him this out of the blue! Where did she get an angle on him, to use this against his own motives? Just where did the answer originate from? These questions were killing his internal struggles to remain serene in the presence of the Emperor.

It just didn't make sense to him.

However the urge to glance over at her made his heart catch in his throat.

Esdeath smiled alluringly at him and more so her eyes promised for something in return.

"_I knew it! She's doing this as a favor! But for what? Oh, god help me."_

Staring very suspiciously at the beauty who nearly laughed at his expression, not that she couldn't blame him either.

Esdeath herself had to maintain a look of bashful intent since the boy indeed get the results to have him rewarded for his efforts. All she had to was endorse a few of his personal wishes and she'd have him in a corner to collect her rewards from him, personally. This game that the boy played wasn't the most subtle at times but she respected a challenge to win his heart in the arena her body wished to claim in.

The bedroom and all the naughty things that pertained to it.

All of this merely moved along her own desires to be attained and being the loyal soldier to the Empire to fight the many battles to come.

The Emperor clapped his hands happily before saying something that made the Prime Minister nearly force out a laugh of sheer bemusement.

"Ah, this is wonderful! The Imperial-Couple supporting one another in times of need, I must say you're moving remarkably fast for a relationship General, Colonel respectfully and my offer still stands to design a wedding ceremony. It pleases me to see such emotions building upon your hearts and minds in those that fight for our country. I am happy to see this."

Amongst those in the throne-room, Tatsumi felt his blood go cold.

"_Oh fuck, here we go again. Now this woman is going to try to kill me in my sleep or god forbid anything more of that notion. My Emperor, I beg of you do not encourage this twisted mockery of a loving relationship! It's way too early and it's bad enough to be cautious against her..."_

Despite the looming success of seeing familiar faces in his Legion again the Colonel couldn't help but feel he was placed into a position of another rock and a hard place.

Honestly the woman next to him had an ulterior motive to suddenly agree with him and add the fact, her perception of him changing just didn't register in how she tormented him during that spar that one morning. From what he gathered Esdeath was just milking his results and success to a degree but this support of a Legion under the capital just didn't settle well with him.

What was her goal in this case?

Sighing to himself, he had no choice but to accept the fact there would a price for this. Nothing was freely given without just cause and this woman had no reason to give him a verbal support for such a thing beyond what he knew.

However what troubled him more was the fact of a new Teigu group that was being formed and he had no past knowledge such a group within the Imperial Military. Again these plans weren't exactly exaggerated but for every truthful thing spoken, a few lies would be behind trailing like wolf smelling a wounded deer. Keeping his professionalism to a stout standard Tatsumi just waited to see the next parts of the future to get him to feel Hope again.

"I make no promises since Tatsumi is quite the _stubborn_ one so far, but he knows when to learn a few things if these results are what to come. I thank you for your support, my Emperor."

Esdeath's pleasantry made the child-emperor only smile happily as the Prime Minister cleared his throat as his own facial expression matched the Ruler on the Throne. The general mood seemed to be ending on a positive note for the first time in a few months as the needs of this 'rewarding' moment were met. For the first time in quite some time, an active army would be within the confines of the Imperial Capitals walls and not in a time of war either. The significance of such an event wouldn't go unnoticed in the Political arenas of those gauging the young Colonel's deeds in the Empires service.

Overall the results for the young Imperial were becoming quite fortunate for those in the Imperial Courts.

"Your Majesty, I can arrange the quarters with General Esdeath for the Imperial Sabers to be stationed here. So do not worry, the Colonel's wishes will be met at your word. When they arrive we can inspect them if you're that eager, if I may."

Honest's tone wasn't at all larded with barbs shockingly as Tatsumi resisted the urge to scowl openly at the Minister's bold moves to seemingly take over the conversation. Still he had to accept this gift that the Emperor had bestowed upon his results and actions so far as much as it made his heart sick with grief at times. To have an able bodied legion was one thing, but to have his own commanding position back spoke volumes of the responsibilities he'd be maintaining while under Esdeath herself.

Maybe a chance to get away, if things got too close for comfort.

"Thank you Prime Minister! If I recall don't we have more daily affairs of the Empire to be made after this too? You were reminding me quite so. I'm only thankful as I have a poor memory at times."

The child-emperor could only smile kindly making the elder adviser merely chuckle as well. Tatsumi resisted the urge to **spit **onto the floor from the one-sided nature of the Imperial Throne. One of these two was the real Ruler of the Empire and it wouldn't be the Prime Minister when the Colonel could accomplish what was needed for change. So gritting his teeth and maintaining that passive expression, he awaited the dismissal from the Emperor. No matter how this day would end, Tatsumi felt that today he had accomplished the early stages of his dreams to come true and that thought alone, made his heart beat easier in the end.

"Colonel, General I hope you have a pleasant day but I must ask you to leave now. I have advisers coming to me nowadays and I can only spare so much time. I'll summon the both of you again for a personal conversation if I have a need for it."

The Emperor's tone wasn't harsh nor even remotely remorseful.

His look held of a ruler who was just entering a normal day and it seemed to Tatsumi that the change he had wished for was starting to take shape. Sighing to himself he nodded his head adding his respect to the Emperor with a clear gratitude and kinder voice than he meant to give out. A small side effect of knowing his Legion would be under his command again and to be used as a screen for Evil, to be less aware of his own motives now. Night-Raid had better appreciate the risks he was taking to mask their movements, less-so to keep the Prime Minister occupied on them rather himself.

"By your will, my Emperor."

Esdeath's response was no less of her own respects to the child-emperor.

"Thank you, my Emperor."

Rising from his position the Colonel spun on his heel without even waiting for Esdeath due to the fact he wanted to get away from that _abomination_ once again that was the Prime Minister Honest. Inhaling sharply he got beyond the throne room's double-doors before stopping in his tracks. While the need to move dominated his body, he couldn't accept that the day's _successes _would not have occurred this smoothly without the woman he had been assigned under. Placing his beret back on, Tatsumi had to say something to get this bitter-gratitude off his chest and that required to immediately confront the blue haired Ice Queen herself.

To be fair it was on her for this unexpected easiness to get the Imperial Sabers into the Capital.

And he owed her.

As much as it terrified him to ask what she wanted to be compensated for such a favor.

That required something...

"_I'm so going to regret this, a lot."_

Waiting for the casually moving woman's heels to greet his ears, he looked back to her place her own attire back onto her head without much effort. Her eyes were shinning at the sight of him waiting to stride at her side dipping his head in a lower respect since they were in public sight of the guards and the Emperor himself. Trying to maintain that formality was but welcomed as the woman passed by his still form.

He followed at her side.

Idly staring at the hallways pictures and past histories to soothe his thoughts.

When the Imperial-Sabers would arrived in the Capital the amount of time varied pending on the sheer size of an army and how it reacted to such orders on short notice. Most Armies took weeks to move into positions as there orders pertained to the regions they were to guard or watch over, usually that took months to fully establish the order needed for a maximum efficiency of Command structures. Not to mention the supply lines to be established took an extra amount of time to feed all the soldiers within that area of operations.

The logistics were always a nightmare even for a Legion as small as his in the overall scheme of the Empire's Military war machine. The Colonel intently realized that this didn't apply to his Legion, despite the initial worries he held as the word would spread for them to be recalled to the Capital.

It'd take a few days in the best case.

Since if he could manage it on his own with limited knowledge on the roads.

But the worst case scenario it'd be a week at the latest!

"Well that's the second time, you've ignored me outside the Throne-Room after we met the Emperor, Tatsumi. Is this becoming a bad habit I have to _whip_ you out of?"

The boy shivered instantly as someone whispered this into his ear, making his legs quiver as if struggling to stand. Blinking in shock and utter terror, emerald orbs trailed upward past an well endowed cleavage that moved slightly and came to the bemusement of dual icy blue iris's.

"_Oh, fuck..."_

Again the woman was right about him spacing out whenever they left the presence of the Emperor.

Not to hold it against her or anything but every-time they met the ruler of the Empire something _extraordinary_ always occurred! How could he be at fault for such tidings that completely blind sided him and for the love of god, it always got him screwed by the demonic vintage of an Ice Queen who would love nothing other than to tie him up! It was infuriating at times to be just civil to this blue-haired beauty who stood waiting smiling as usual.

"My apologies, Esdeath: it's just every-time we stroll out of the Emperor's gaze, I have some thoughts on the matter. Today was another example of _surprises_ that I didn't count on, even you have moments when people shock you. Right?"

The General only smiled mysteriously before moving ahead of him, her fingers twitching to beckon him to follow. Not as much as he could do to counter such an order Tatsumi quietly obeyed while trying to stem his raging heart-rate down again. Eventually he'd have to learn some serene meditation techniques to just feel normal and that was being, optimistic as well! Staying even with the woman, who was absently thinking about something as her hand cupped the base of her own chin and glanced at him, giggling to herself in the meantime.

The younger Imperial didn't even dare to think about was going through her mind, for in fear of going mad and practically, insane to hope for a better answer. He sighed warily, this whole idea of 'thanking' her for the support of his Legion coming to the Capital could only be asked for a price. A price he'd have to pay, though in what manners would be the deciding questions. Not to mention, his panicked state and fears coming to life in the back of his mind. Images best not, told were starting to take shape and that just made things, worse...

At least for him anyways.

"You're worried about what the price is? Aren't you Tatsumi?"

Esdeath's voice didn't broker any need to lie as he warily nodded as her laughter trickled down the hallway leading to their chambers. Both Imperial Officers held a certain distance from one another that continuing got closer and inevitably, they were nearly attached to the hip. Well more the General than anything as Tatsumi bit his inner cheek to stop any form of verbal protest while strolling in the Imperial-Palace. More than once he caught the eyes of the black-armored guards subtly oozing amusement or the occasional snicker that broke the silence amongst the pair of Imperial soldiers.

This made Tatsumi practically crush his own teeth to not dare comment about it.

"Prices aside, I can only thank you for your unexpected support. If I may ask, why did you give it a positive reinforcement? Wouldn't you be more inclined to see this new group of Teigu users against Night-Raid work first?"

These were the most immediate questions pressing into the young man's eyes and the woman answered them with relative ease. Her posture wasn't of an ignorant person, as her eyes carefully studied his facial reactions to each of her reasoning and the most important thing: she honestly agreed with his assessment of Night-Raid's capabilities. As much as she kept that last part to herself, the younger boy had a sound tactical layout if such a group could move within the confines of the Imperial City without restraint.

While not overly concerning the dangers merited an increase of security to uphold to protect the Politicians in power and having a tested Legion of 'Glory-Hounds' in her mind would compensate against the Imperial-Police maintaining the peace in the city. She had her doubts on that front so the best thing to use was her own resources and Tatsumi, eagerly wanted to grow to show results to the Emperor.

She saw no reason to not waste any time and the way her lover spoke of the potential in containing Night-Raid made her anxious to see more of his analysis's. Despite her learning through the younger boy, his journal had provided an _insight_ to how he analyzed a battlefield's outcomes to adapt to whatever struggles or problems and turn them into his own strengths.

Tatsumi knew when to fight.

He knew when to choose his battles and always found ways to get results.

A shrewd tactician of an imaginative landscape plus, she wanted him on good terms with her to further their relationship now. She had gotten bored of the pink haired Night-Raid member in her torture chambers, since nothing had come up about information on the groups base.

Figuring to let the captive simmer in her cell the blue-haired General had shifted focus onto Tatsumi until the next date came to get some answers out the criminal terrorist.

Such resolve for a young girl, it'd be a shame she'd die in the end anyways.

Getting pulled out her thoughts as she focused on the younger boy next to her who seemed particularly interested in her responses.

"You're partially insightful when it comes to effectively and efficiently using the resources on hand to secure a victory, no matter how assured it can be. For that lesson which I had planned is kind of a moot point now and I felt the need to recognize the things that you _could_ outperform me. Tatsumi you do realize I reward those as my lover or not, who maintain a consistent value right? What person would I'd be if I didn't _care_ for you?"

Her expression the perfect picture of an innocence that seemed so wrong that it made his face flush with indignation and it only furthered her advances. He just felt really awkward around her, in a good way or perhaps he'd gotten a knack of being used to her.

Either way it was scary to understand.

So Tatsumi just mentally snorted, " _I care to think you're a ruthless woman whose insane. And I'm going mad enough to think why." _

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes mainly due to his own inner-consciousness the young Colonel merely dreaded the rest of her responses due to his own inability to foresee her own movements. A divided notion of whether he should ultimately get to know this woman now, or just play the cautious person were running a muck in his head. Basically either answer just flat out sucked to comprehend fully without having a reason to not even try, for both options again.

"It'd be best for me, to not answer. I'd rather know more about a person before making assumptions."

Well the ones that could kill him, violently.

Reaching the door to their chambers Tatsumi could only feel a sense of urgency to avoid that door as much as humanely possible. The blue-haired beauty opened it as she smiled at him to follow her inside and he did so with a great reluctance to only hear the door slam behind him. Glancing to the wall, where the map of the Empire lay readied to use and witnessing the lack of any paper work, the Colonel assumed Esdeath had reported all she needed to the Prime Minister's ears or whoever she went up the chain too.

So sighing deeply he went to place his weapon on the side of the bed as his back slowly ached from the lack of getting a decent nights sleep hit him. The effects were mildly disconcerting to mask at times, especially for the woman taking her uniform's more detailed aspects off.

Most of their duties for the day were done, it'd been past the midway point as it was late in the afternoon when the Emperor had summoned them. The young Imperial figured to catch some shut eye or perhaps try, to make up for the lack of sleep as he set his saber-blade down against the wall on the side of the bed he'd normally rest upon.

"Aren't you going to wonder about the price for my support about your little 'Glory-Hounds' coming to the Capital?"

Her question didn't make him freeze out of terror.

No, he froze when she had insulted the Imperial-Sabers.

His fist clenched making knuckles crack loud enough to make the woman merely smile as Tatsumi turned to face her.

The expression within his eyes alone sent shivers of excitement into the blue-haired Ice Queens nervous system and that serious look of his made her heart wane in a faster tone. While not as _appealing_ as his kind smile, this side of a boy made her rise to the challenge to break such a look and it only made her impatient to commence such actions.

Other than that she could only lick her lips in interest as the boy hissed out a low response. She found it endearing to see a darker side, to have it come up to defend his own subordinates. A sign of a good general who knew how inspire soldiers and have enemy's terrorized!

"What did you call my Legion? If I heard right, you called them _dogs_!"

Esdeath easily walked up to him circling him like a danger-beast spotting prey and judging the best course of action to take it down. Her need to consume flesh wasn't of a physical stomach clenching feeling but something more _pleasurable _that settled into her body. Blowing gently behind his ear, while wrapping her arms around his chest to contain him if things got...

Violently arousing.

"What of it? Your little 'Glory-Hounds' that going to provide us with a means to capture Night-Raid. What do you feel about that? Hmm?"

Glaring from the corner of his peripherals the Colonel gave a single warning that even the General herself found somewhat primitively spine curling. It just emboldened her to find out how he ticked, how he worked and what made him into the boy before her. His journal could provide insight to some of his actions but, she found the physical approach more appealing.

Nervousness climbed up her spine like a ladder!

Marking this new unknown ground all the more amazing to dominate!

"Call them that again one more time and I will put you somewhere on the ground. You can insult me which is fine since I can bare that. I can take it but if you insult those men who I had bled with, who I fought with and as I handpicked them a bunch of _glory-hounds,_ I will find a way to make you bleed! You have no idea what I went through with them!"

That steel in his tone made the woman lovingly trace his side in an affectionate gesture one that didn't make him flinch and Esdeath again, found this endearing. A pair of emerald eyes so clear and full of fire it made her merely _prod_ him into a proper direction to maintain his composure. Well the lack of it as she just shrugged at his warnings and disregarded them.

"Don't be like that Tatsumi, think of this as another test to keep your cool. Though to be fair even I will defend the value of my own soldiers but, let me get to the real _reason_ I have you my arms..."

Tatsumi felt his anger subside momentarily into an uneasy feeling of confusion as the woman slowly unbid his jacket from her spot in the back of him.

Her fingers nimbly taking the undershirt of his own uniform off to expose the abdomen hidden by the fabric.

Shivers racked his body as the woman _skimmed_ his stomach area with a teasing motion that more or less got his body to rush blood into places best left unmentioned. Managing to sharpy inhale the woman found herself almost enjoying the dominance her body had over the younger boy's. Placing her chin onto his shoulder area both of their heads touched with her lips at the base of Tatsumi's chin as urges appeared between them.

More her than him at the moment.

"...You owe me a favor now, Tatsumi. I've been giving it some thought, do you want to know what I want from you? Right here, right now or tonight perhaps?"

Her suggestions made a feeling heat worm its way into his head to feel that skimming touch of teasing his own emotions and how he had to roll his head away from her voice. A voice which sent quivering feelings of ecstasy rush forward. Adrenaline surged as his body rose to the hidden desires the woman had offered, he felt like pulling against a Danger-beast that was charging forward.

"Please don't offer yourself like that. It's not right, Esdeath."

He amended trying to shake off the blue-haired beauty who laughed lightly feeling the ample amount of cleavage on her chest press into his back. Tatsumi would be lying if he didn't admit his body was responding to her advances and that adrenaline rush kicked in.

Pretty quickly too.

Hell this so called losing battle was merely a natural instinct all men held for women. An instinct many barely resisted but this wasn't helping his cause to back away from the temptress that would probably kill him in bed based on her aggressive tendencies.

"Offering myself? Why Tatsumi, what ever gave you that _idea_ and what would you suggest for a favor in my place? Huh?"

Her purring tone made him clench his teeth together hard and nearly biting his tongue to stop that exhale of shock revealing his inner-struggles to stop her. Squirming in her grip the General laughed loudly before doing something that made him panic completely now!

She threw him onto the bed climbing _on top_ of him.

Her face flush up against his chest whereas his heart was sprinting a marathon now and it only increased its tempo as her hands cupped his face teasingly. Her answers were awaiting to be said, as the Colonel's mind flew into a frenzy of disbelief now.

One pair of blue eyes glowered with an emotion akin to a tiger prowling for prey making the inside his mouth go dry.

"_Oh no, oh no! This is not happening, this is not happening! I don't even know her that much! Son of a bitch, think Tatsumi! Just think! You can get out of this, find something to use! Anything to stall for time and to get your head wrapped around this! Fucking shit this sucks!"_

When the woman tossed her jacket to the side of the room, leaving her in a white undershirt as her hands undid a few buttons.

He blurted out the quickest thing striking him to buy time!

"A date! Let's go on a date! Tonight if you want! Let's go on a date to get to know each other more! That's be a good favor, if I were in your shoes."

Words spoken very fast to stall the woman who tilted her head at him in a curious manner.

That action alone gave him hope to stop the adrenaline surging over his own sanity now.

Mind the fact his heart nearly came crushing through his chest. The tempo so rapid that one could probably dance to the beats alone and perhaps make a musical of it all. Sweat lined the pores all over his flushed body, the heat of blood rushing into his face and ultimately nearly making his torso area become very receptive to moments.

"A date? That sounds somewhat _interesting_ since I've never been on one. Why actually, don't people express their affections and what not on a date?"

"_Thank god. Okay, time to do what I can and hope for the best."_

Her self-questioning made Tatsumi internally thank the lord in the heavens for a brief respite from the torment that flew in the veins. Inhaling deeply enough to respond clearly, the Colonel smiled somewhat uneasily about the idea of it now. Trying to conceal that nervousness when one stepped into an unknown territory. He doubted he be able to contain his anxiety to suggest something he had no clue to obtain to a standard about.

"To be fair, it'd be my first time taking anyone out. So your guess is as good as mine, plus it gives us a chance to know more about each other. If I'm to be certain about your feelings and my _own_ about us. It'd be a good time as any to try, more so to talk about what we can do together and talk about whatever this new Teigu group we're forming. I'm just speculating since I just do not know..."

An urge to laugh came up and he went with it, technically to just hide his near heart-attack that could have ended badly. So he laughed smiling a bit uneasy about the situation he was in and for that end alone: he deserved to find something to make him crack a smile at the least. Nothing came close lately, for reasons mentioning other than his own heart grieving.

It lightened the mood.

Or more rather lightened his as Esdeath stared down at the younger Imperial officer.

Until she cracked a grin revealing her canine teeth to form a wolfish grin.

All the while teasing the exposed flesh underneath his shirt as her fingers nimbly traced the firm muscles. Sending small shock-waves viva the entrancing touch of her limbs despite the inexperience lacking there efforts. Overall, she found this dominance just intoxicating to withstand and eventually continued musing her thoughts out loud.

"Sounds like we have plans but where do we go? Even I have inexperience in what couples do outside the more fun aspects of a lovers bond. You keep suggesting very good points, I think I might just whip you up out of jealousy or..."

The boy's face paled extensively at the mention of the word whip.

It made this ever more devious, to see how far she'd go on that notion alone. An expression of mixed terror and restrained interest crossed into the younger boy's body yet she merely eased his worries for the day.

At least until she got bored again.

She couldn't resist to tease him to mask her own insecurities to pursue this relationship into a more desirable settings with the two of them comfortable for the better lack of a word.

"...I'll just allow this to slide, for now. I can find ways to make you _beg_ me to scream my name, if you want to continue. Isn't that more of a challenge to see how far I can make you resist me?"

Inhaling close to the base of his neck, the blue-haired beauty absently waited to hear Tatsumi come up with a retort to make this just all the more fun. Placing the side of her head against his chest, she could hear his heart racing due to the close proximity of her body.

"I'd be lying if I said you wouldn't make me notice you. However, I will promise I will not succumb to your games that easy Esdeath. I don't like this idea of you forcing yourself onto me, it's just unsettling and very awkward. Please I'd rather go on a few dates to understand you, so that my own feelings can at the least see who you are. As a person."

So trying to hide the anxiety seemed to be nearly impossible as he brought his hands up to at least move the woman off his chest. Sucking in an intake of air the young Colonel lifted himself into a more upright posture with both arms behind the woman's back just to get a better grip to move. However this created an unintended side effect to relive their previous spots as her next action made his heart nearly explode outwards.

The blue-haired beauty purred somewhat curling into the base of his neck as an intense warmth shared between the two of them. Slightly biting the inside of his cheek the Colonel gently spoke doing all he could to not react to the quite content woman in his arms whose movements were making blood rush into places again. Places best left not to be thought off in the first place.

"I'm terrified completely to be fair. I have no idea to even begin a relationship, there's no need for me to lie about it and if we're to be together. There's no rush to do whatever, most people consider to be for their own gains and it'd do us a lot of good to try to know each other. So let's just get ready and go for a walk in the Capital for a bit. Alright?"

Gently doing what he could to avoid making the woman feel like he wasn't ordering her or him, it was just a genuine suggestion that held all the benefits for a couple to learn from. Every relationship needed a solid base on build around, at least similar to how a battle-plan succeed for that matter and Tatsumi just felt the higher ranked Imperial chuckle into his ear. Shutting his eyes, her answer only made him mentally sigh in relief to avoid anymore unnecessary adrenaline rushes for some time.

"You always find ways to avoid the fun but it does make sense. Rushing into something unknown is a poor way to show preparation and at least, you have the integrity to admit it. So, let's go _now_."

Needless to say the two would be in uniform shortly.

* * *

><p>"<em>If going shopping for new weaponry, or checking out clothing was apart of a date I'd probably would have prepared myself. I can't say it hasn't been bad, which is the boldest thing I've said to date. You can do this, Tatsumi, come on at least try to have some positive outlook. Nothing bad has happened yet apart from holding hands, so just take one step at a time..."<em>

Walking on the side of the General herself, who had an unusual pink flush across her face due to the fact that the two were _holding _hands in a public setting had that effect running high. Even the younger Colonel wasn't immune as his fingers practically got crushed from the over zealous woman's inhibitions when people stared at them in either shock or sheer surprise at the leveled on the Emperor making a public appearance.

Basically something that few would ever expect on a day like this...

However their current actions were mainly due to the reluctance of Tatsumi to at least act like a couple, his inability to find any sort of angle on the red faced superior of his. Resisting an urge to rub the back of his head, the Imperial-couple, as much as the Colonel wanted to describe them to be something else, were on busier section of the night-strip of the Capitals store fronts. Despite being stationed in the Imperial Palace, seeing the more lively sides of the massive metropolis of the Heart of the Empire had its merits for those to enjoy.

The two were casually looking at store fronts seeing some jewelry which didn't appeal to the two soldiers at all. A couple of higher classed restaurants were opened during the massive strip of businesses and they seemed less than suitable for the two soldiers to try to enter. Considering neither of them were a bit nervous in their own minds about whether, what next step to take. Eventually Tatsumi's gaze drifted around the massive stores that were starting to become more frequent though the themes of them were being borderline red-light district type of catalogs.

Pleasure was pleasure no matter where it took stock of business.

"_Am I in the Capital's red light district or something? I swear, no matter how fancy you dress up a series of business's to be, lingerie is lingerie and sex-appeal doesn't lie. Think the nobility gets off on this place so close to their homes. It's just weird."_

Trying retain blood flow into his limb, the young Colonel figured to make a selection to possibly make the woman let go of the numbing sensation that would've been his hand now. Looking at a rather somewhat humbled originated store whereas dresses, tuxedos and other formal clothing stood out, he took a risk to ask the blue-haired red faced beauty whose lack of speaking gave him a weird sense of danger or caution.

"Do you want to expand our own clothing choices? I'm not one to be vain in who I look, but even wearing our uniforms seems a bit much. If you're interested since well, uh I'm not good in designing."

Finding a level or gentle voice seemed again nearly impossible.

His own nervousness and inexperience were showing as the woman made a thoughtful pose. He had no idea, if she was into that sort of thing and it wouldn't hurt now to understand her hobbies. Apart from the ones with a damned whip, or whatever in the sane hell she held for her uses. It took a lot of him, mentally to be this remotely calm around a woman who could kill him viva her own Teigu which was quite concealed for once.

"Clothing? I suppose it'd be nice to see you in some different things, Tatsumi. You have a point, uniforms are meant for us on formal ceremony and to be fair: I don't shop that much. Although I'm curious about something though."

So she leaned forward whispering a question that made him widened his eyes to the point where he nearly coughed of sheer shock.

The random question about a personal opinion just seemed very off.

"What kind of colors do you like?"

The Colonel warily replied trying to find root of his suspicions for some reason that haunted him like a ghost.

"I'd say anything from a dark red to a dark purple, sometimes. I don't mind neutral colors to be fair. Anything not too _expressive,_ I guess? So why?"

That last part of his answers just made the woman smiled bashfully to just confuse him. Sighing heavily he figured it was better than having himself crushed into a hole somewhere. Using the free hand of his to rub the back of his neck in nervously, he watched as the General pulled them into the store that he suggested to go into. For the life of him Tatsumi thought he saw her _smirking_ at the answers he gave her about favorite colors. Anything to keep her from trying anything more physical with him at that moment, would do fine.

Walking into the massive space of a store a few patrons were doing their own wares as employees were assisting them in their endeavors.

"Good evening General and to you as well, Colonel."

The Imperial-couple essentially watched in varied states of curiosity as an employee of the store came up to them to address them causally and respectful of their status. The entire areas of the Capital at least knew both of these soldiers in passing, or literal witnessing accounts. The employee seemed to be an average looking woman who was in her late forties to nearly early fifties, a pleasant smile of a parent who was watching her children shop for their first relationships or what not. It gave a vibe nothing less than assistance to those who were uneasy to buy things for their affectionate partners.

"How may I assist you this early night? Are you perhaps looking for clothing to make the both of you stand out to each other or getting some _private_ clothes for a more appeasing eye sight? Forgive my eagerness and observation it's just, you two look so adorable together with the red faces."

The elder woman's laughter made Tatsumi just grumble something unintelligible to be deciphered and Esdeath had let go to ask a serious question.

Her face the perfected form of a woman who wanted the best advice possible, demanded answers to the best questions to entice her partner and to ask for pretty much anything pertaining to her desires. While she knew within her mind that casual clothing was lacking in her skills but it didn't mean she would write down advice when needed.

"I wish to see what this store has to offer, I'm looking for something to get the attention of my lover and make him pay attention to me more. He's quite stubborn to maintain and I ask for only the best advice!"

"_Are you serious?"_

Her declaration made more than a few people stare at the half dead Colonel who was face palming himself from the way the General just proclaimed her intentions. Perhaps being whipped would have been a easier way to suffer as the embarrassment was all to obvious.

Everyone within the public was all smiles and once that snickering started...

It didn't help make his mind any easier to withstand this stress.

"I see! Well if you follow me General Esdeath. I'm certain we can find a few pieces of clothing that will knock this young man here _dead_ on his feet and heart to _explode_ when he sees you again. Come along, I have just the things for you to be pointed out too!"

The elder woman reached for the blue-haired Ice Queens who had gotten a small book of shorts out and started to write down the advice the employee had started to convey about attracting a man's attention. Tatsumi did the wise thing and moved to the opposite end of the store, to just _pass_ the time and pray to the heavens for a moment of peace. More than a few more assistants of clothing experts rushed over towards where Esdeath had disappeared mainly making the boy realize he was safe for the time being.

Inhaling appreciatively he absently began to wander the isles that held more than a variety of formal and informal clothing.

"_Might as well look to pass the time and it wouldn't hurt, to look nice. I got myself in this situation, might as well make the best of it."_

The young Colonel moved between the displays of clothing and what not, enjoying the relative peace of mind he could get for himself. While he didn't particularly hate, or technically despise the woman he had more or less been thrown to, Esdeath didn't see that off. At least in the sense to cause him any physical harm, apart from her personality to get him into a bed for _literal_ desires which made his heart race. She was supporting him abidingly a bit awkward at times in the form of his training and for getting the Imperial-Sabers within the Imperial Palace's general location. His eyes shut as he inhaled deeply he realized that this woman was contributing to his own goals in a way, that he wouldn't be able to maintain on his own.

So this meant...

"_I have to admit this but Esdeath doesn't seem to be that bad. At least so far."_

Tatsumi had to give her a chance.

A chance to show herself to him and to possibly have him make a choice on his future alone. It just didn't add up to him yet, nothing really pertained to him actually to accept these feelings that were a mix bag of insanity and emotions intrigued by his adrenaline rushes!

All of these these surges were pretty vindictive when the blue-haired beauty just _enticed_ him, with the lack of clothing when they met in bed. It was a consistent struggle to adhere to his own conduct when involving woman, not he wasn't judgmental in the sense of how they lived or any person that made their due in life.

But he didn't enjoy loose woman...

The ones to throw themselves at him without a relative reason. Reasons that were very alien to at least understand and for the sake of his own sanity. Why did most women think of him as an appealing person, his own actions towards those in the Western Territories didn't settle within his heart as a conflict of confusion commenced.

Blood was blood.

Murder was murder.

So nothing could be appealing to a person who was stained by Sin. These feelings swelled up into him making his expression a bitter sweet moment to realize, that his heart just felt hollowed to maintain the path he was set up on. The faces were coming back into his eyes again, seeing ther bloodied expressions have the rage of thousands claw at his soul. Every time his heart started to beat at this moment, a feeling came to his senses.

It hurt.

It hurt to just realize that the pains of doing what was right never meant to be known.

And it...

"You see to be having fun, kid."

"_SON OF A BITCH!"_

That sudden voice made the Colonel whirl around grasping the handle of his Saber!

How in the hell did someone sneak up on him in the middle of a store? Praying for his heart to stop raging within the confines of his chest and Tatsumi blinked to realize as to who was behind him in a familiar attire. So by gulping down his lungfuls of air to stem his shock and disbelief, for good reason. He hadn't seen a sign of this person for quite some time and his arrival wasn't exactly, welcomed.

"Blue."

Deadpanning that name or title as the said man merely tiled his head while on the side of him in his light blue robes, the hood concealing the face.

The younger Imperial swore a smile was on this guy's face whether he admitted it or not.

"The one and only! I am indeed him but if you're feeling that sentimental about myself. Just call me Royal Blue, to be at your service."

Blue's tone wasn't exactly truthful to him but he was merely taunting the younger Imperial's patience to get a rise.

And it worked, somewhat.

The concealed hooded confident of Tatsumi leaned against the wall clearly enjoying the look of irritation on his face and for once he had to ask a question about this person. The images of a blond girl in pain echoing in his ears with the look of a hopeful person seeking an answer and having the weight of his thoughts bare down onto his consciousness.

"What do you want from me? I haven't seen you in some time, not that it's been great. But you since so graciously appeared I have interesting things to ask of you especially about those spreading news about _me."_

The events before that cruise-ship had played back into his mind the tears of seeing a person he had come to care for dying in front of his eyes and making the unbearable truth that he had killed Bulat. Rather through his direct hands, his actions and words inevitably had caused the man to die from a poisoned dagger from the ex-general Liver, the said man's own mentor as it were. An irony of fate to see mentors dying in front of their respective legacies and the blood staining his hands hadn't let up.

Clenching his fists the young Imperial kept his gaze glaring at the hooded blue robed person who idly smirked.

"I see you're aware of someone speaking about people in _blue_ robes talking about the one and only Colonel Saber of the West. The tale of a soldier whose 'fair' and 'just' to those that are rebelling against the system ruled by Prime Minister Honest? Is that what you're wondering about, a few selfish rumors? Granted they're kinder rumors from those who listen and to those who are telling people, but rumors told to the common folk. Is that wrong to give them answers about what they want to hear?"

Tatsumi didn't even smile from the amused tone the concealed man spoke about.

"What do you want from me, Blue?"

Blue became an enigma of a potentially dangerous third-party that the Colonel was unaware about to begin with. He couldn't be an Imperial official since he'd have been asking for direct help against the Empire now or, neither a Revolutionary agent due to the lack of hatred for killing Night-Raid's members. So it begged a question that made this man potentially the most unexpected danger known to date.

Who did he serve?

Better question, what did he want from him?

And why did he have to take an interest in him personally?

"What I want is not really important, what's important is what you can do for yourself. I understand you're cautious, which is naturally an understandable reaction to myself but the questions you should be asking yourself, is this..."

Clearing his throat from where he was at, the blue robed person only made Tatsumi less than civil to find answers. The questions that were burning in the back of his head as the man wagged his finger closer and he'd didn't move an inch. If he had tried to get him tense, it started to work and the blue robed individual essentially started to milk it for all its worth.

Blue leaned forward intentionally whispering in a gleeful tone that made a mockery of inconspicuous secrecy.

"Have you_ found _a Teigu? One that is suitable? Or where to _**find **_one to suit your needs?"

The silence from the Colonel made Blue only snicker lightly to himself, the sound carrying between the short distance of the two men. Unable to see his eyes Tatsumi just inhaled sharply while replying keeping a firm grip on the handle of the saber-blade. Its handle barely straining to remain in place as he replied sharply to make the blue-robbed man laugh lightly. Blue found this entire situation all the more amusing to enjoy, the kid really needed to lighten up a bit.

"How the hell would you know what I think? Even if I wanted too, getting a Teigu is not the problem, its just that..."

Blue swiftly interjected grinning ear to ear at least what the Colonel could picture.

"That none of them feel right in your hands or rather you cannot accept those who you have slain to obtain them? Isn't that the real cause of your reluctance to take up your most recent victories rewards, Incursio for example. Slaying another member of Night-Raid has gotten you some people noticing you, of course you knew this right?"

Tatsumi stared at the robbed man briefly in shock since no one knew where the Teigu armor was located at and to be fair, it was under the bed in the chambers he shared with Esdeath. Using the term of hiding in plain sight would've make anyone curious to stop themselves, Esdeath's reputation certainly did that well. Tatsumi kept Incurios in order to keep his word and would find a suitable person to wield Incursio in Bulat's name, so he'd be damned to allow the Minister to get his fucking hands on it.

But seeing the last of his few people he called friends, due freshly made rage come forth.

Snarling out angrily, "Who the _**fuck **_are you!"

Just not before slamming him against the opposite wall hard, while harshly spitting out words that just made his rage boil over. An agony that plagued his heart more so than any physical wounds that got Blue's attention immediately. Blue managed to speak up a bit amused and it only set his assailant into a near frenzy which was expected, naturally.

"Impatient, much?"

Despite the grip of the younger Imperial Colonel the man wasn't worried too much about what he nearly provoked.

"Shut your fucking mouth! You know nothing of the pain I suffer in seeing the faces of those who I cared for to die by my hand directly. Faces who I have ended personally and I know for fact I can't accept Incursio, which I don't know how the hell you came to find out! So shut the fuck up or I will gut you like a damned animal, even though I do kill, I will not accept the Sins of my actions to deter me from my path that I take for a dream to come true! My heart will _**never **_accept my actions as neither no Teigu I have encountered will accept me!"

Breathing heavily tears came to the corner of his eyes as Blue grasped the hands holding his clothing and squeezed enough to make Tatsumi hiss from the pressure. Releasing the hold on the man's robes, Blue casually brushed himself down while explaining the information he knew. As every word struck his heart the Colonel felt a heavy aura crash onto his shoulders radiating his own sorrows to the world.

"Oh dear, to have Sins as an Imperial Officer? How tragic for someone to understand."

Sarcasm literally oozed out of his tone making Tatsumi snarl.

"To uphold your duties and loyalties to such a system in place. Hate to break it you kid, **without** a Teigu, you _yourself _cannot stand up to the powers that hold this world in its palms. Teigu's are the _keys_ to upholding those who wish for conquest and to further enhance the military might as being for an Ideal, dream or beliefs. Strength is _feared_ and _respected_ to warrant such pauses to those of equal standings..."

Blue idly then looked over at another isle to hear voices pertaining to Esdeath and the clothing assistants whose tempo increased. Tatsumi didn't buy the words this man was selling at least to a sense that he could understand it. This brought up views in how the most powerful of legends in the past could make so many to listen. He had to imagine where this might bring him yet he needed Strength to make those who wanted to listen to feel that there was weight behind the words.

"...which you should know that can possibly crush you, without as so much as a thought. You're stepping into an arena that requires such Teigu to make your stand and having an army at your back is just one piece of a puzzle. So perhaps I can _offer_ you an answer, if you so wish to seek it. After all its what I do best kid, I listen to people and give them an answer, if need be."

Tatsumi again didn't buy the words of this person.

"I have half a mind to just walk away, how can I trust a person whose very name I do not know? Better yet refuses to speak of? You said to me before you're a good listener: so listen to this when I ask you a question: _who the fuck are you supposed to be_? And how am I supposed to listen to what I want to hear about and not be worried that it could kill me?

All of the accusations didn't bother the concealed person, even if it did and what not, he'd couldn't tell because of the lack of details. Maintaining his straight posture, his hand still on the saber-blade itself, the Colonel just wanted to understand why this man had even approached him. For a few moment's the man didn't reply as the occupants in the store could be heard.

Blue just shrugged after all the pondering.

"You just have to hope that I can get you what you need, I can easily give that in kind. Personally, I maybe a good listener but I'm a better person who _gives_ out the things a person needs to accomplish what they have too. But you have a point to be worried, worried to feel fear knowing I might be an enemy. So I ask you, why would I string you along to just to kill you? I haven't even met you until that time in the tavern, granted I should've had you pay me for a drink but besides that you and I have never met."

Tatsumi's expression didn't amuse anyone.

"But I digress. So put this to mind and have it to make you think. If I wanted to kill you than that would require that you know me and I know not you so I'm to be unaware of such a thing, to kill me. So I have to ask do you know that I don't know you, to _know_ me to think, that I know you?"

That concealed taunting which masked the amusement.

No this man wasn't trying to harm him or Tatsumi would have held that sliver of terror to be on the ground bleeding out. Blue or whoever the fuck he was actually was willing to point him in the direction of a Teigu he could use to stand with his dreams of changing the Empire. His meanings didn't make sense in way that pertained to directly say he wasn't a threat. Tatsumi had a thought that this guy was just fucking around with him, for whatever reason why.

Yet the unknown dangers and factors were making this a bit difficult to continue.

"No, but I don't trust you. No man would willingly place their life in another strangers hands to just help them out of good will."

Blue again snorted nearly chuckling, he countered that statement.

"People do not offer good will without a cause. Although I offer help because of a cause that is meant to be offered help. So I'm giving you my good will to give an answer that is plaguing your mind and as you said moments ago, your heart to find strength. Well the resolve to be more so, to continue your own cause and I can only offer to help because I can and want too. It's the type of person that I am mostly."

Tatsumi cringed mentally the man's words were so barbed and just irritating to understand. He could only understand that he wasn't here to kill him, at least so he claimed. Apart of him wanted to ignore this person and just leave, but that interest was there to get a Teigu to help become stronger. Could he risk such an opportunity to obtain a Teigu no one had?

"_Only one way to find out, let's see if good will is truly his motive."_

The Colonel replied quietly though still a bit uneasy about Blue's offer.

"I'll humor you on whether to find such a thing. Where would be one such location that I can get a Teigu that will suit my needs? Why would I go to such a place, alone at that?"

Blue just laughed loudly now slapping the side of Tatsumi's shoulder as if tearing up.

"Alone? Hell no, I'll do you that favor, which means I'm going to be bringing you there kid! If you think you can get there without directions, then so be it but it's for the sake of your best interests for me to guide you. Meet me at the same tavern from before where we met, so do whatever you have to pack for a couple of days to a week. Trust me on this, its quite the journey up north to find the place where this Teigu is currently awaiting for a user."

Before he could speak, something or someone caught their attention.

"_She must be done or sated for now."_

Tatsumi's eyes moved to where Esdeath's voice got closer as Blue leaned forward before giving one last piece of advice to the young Colonel who was frozen solid on the spot. The robes of the man turning ever so slightly to reflect an armor underneath their depths glinting off the lighting.

Blue's tone wasn't worried about his answer to get such a thing for a journey but it carried an eerie warning.

"Favors make a man realize the fragile nature of a heart and a heart can change on a fickle whim. However great men uphold their words, so that their actions can maintain the weight behind them as such strength makes those with Power to listen. I can't tell you how to do whatever you need to do, and for the record..."

Blue whispered into his ear before walking quickly away with his head bowed.

"...I speak from experience saying that powerful women are amazing in bed. Good luck, kid."

That playful warring ended so with that the man moved surprisingly quick to be out of sight and out of mind now.

Tatsumi kept his mouth shut as her heard the commotion that was Esdeath herself happily humming a small tune to herself come up from behind him.

He felt her arms wrap around his entire torso as she whispered huskily into his ears to make him flush with a heat that he had all but forgotten with the conversation with the blue robed man, who was clearly gone now. Finding the resolve to consider his options, he had got pulled out his thoughts by the woman whose intentions and emotions were modestly happy now.

"I found your favorite colors, Tatsumi. I hope you _love_ what I got, but we have to return to the Palace sadly. I've forgotten in my eagerness for this date, that I have to study the dossiers on my new group to be ready to take on Night-Raid in the coming days. I may want to do this more often, if I can find out news way to get you to enjoy what I wear now. I promise you, that it won't be boring."

The Colonel suppressed a shiver of excitement and uneasiness at that promise of hers. Doing what he could, he agreed to go back to the Imperial Palace as his mind processed in what a potential opportunity came to rise on the horizon and it wasn't exactly the best way for Esdeath, to have some trust in him to seek this Teigu out. If there was one that Blue claimed to have in a location to the far reaches of the chilling Northern Regions.

Until tomorrow he had to consider his options as best as he could.

Tatsumi mentally sighed as the potential dangers decided to add up on one warning that Blue had given to him.

"_Powerful women are amazing in bed."_

An electrifying feeling went up his spine at that warning or promise if he realized it.

With the most troubling part of it all...

He didn't feel afraid of the consequences now.

If that was it took to find a Teigu that could suit his needs.

**End Chapter Eleven**

**A/N: **Merry Christmas from the United States my dear readers, so this is my gift to you on this happy holiday season.

This is again what I can a filler chapter with some pretty revealing things going down. I had to end it on a decent note of relative importance while further increasing the relationship with Tatsumi and Esdeath. Really, it's challenging for me to not say anything about what this pertains to in the overall plot of the story. I think of this chapter as a way for me to introduce Blue (an OC) as a means for me to judge the readers reactions to more OC's down the line. So let me introduce to you what this chapter means for an ARC.

The Teigu ARC is under way and for the record, get ready to see (the readers OC's) the patience you've all been waiting for. As a Christmas Present to you from me on this happy day, note I'm posting this within the hour of myself going to Christmas Parties and the food is going to be amazing. But I'm straying a little bit in this notation, so be at ease knowing I'm stilling working on new chapters regardless in what I post in these updates. I'd like to point out about a character that seems very contradictory on himself.

Blue.

And his conversations with Tatsumi in this chapter.

Now is Blue a walking contradiction or does he not make sense too much, don't worried its intentional on my part and to honestly keep you readers invested into the OC's that I gradually develop into full fledged people, per say. I'm not trying to make the Deus-Ex Machine god character, because its not a self insert of myself and I've not given anyone any reason to say that is the case of him being the god-character. It's not, so enough with the complaints in that sense and it really bugs me when people try to say to me, he's that person.

On another note, Esdeath and Tatsumi's growing relationship.

Because of what Esdeath has done, the lack of actually torturing people to Tatsumi's own knowledge and what not, feelings will naturally develop. They don't have to be mind breaking or world shatteringly written but when feelings do occur naturally it effects a person overall. The Colonel is a curious man/soldier, he's interested to know what makes Esdeath (as a general and as a person) really form her personality and in short, this curiosity can lead to dangers. Dangers that are not physically present but later on, a kinship in way. I won't reveal why, or what: since after the Teigu ARC it's when I'm hitting the harder points in this pairing. So be prepared after this Teigu ARC that things will pick up steam.

Also gradually I will or might, in some later chapter shift the perspective onto another character, example being (Mine) so that it expands the outlook. Things are going to be raised, the stakes will get higher and the sheer scope begins to take shape in whats on the line. The Imperial Sabers eventually will make an appearance (and the OC's, second in command and what not) all play the supporting major roles behind the scenes of the power struggles in the Capital. Be prepared when filler chapters do take place, your OC's and other cast members in the original canon do interact to accomplish tasks needed for whatever goal as the end game.

You have to realize I'm currently writing Chapter Twenty two now, so I maintain a firm consistent pace to have a lot of buffer zones needed to update in the quickened time frames I give to you on this site.

So have a Merry Christmas, good day and spend it well with people you care for.

And I wish you good fortunes in wherever you live.


	13. Chapter XII

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Twelve**

"Tatsumi, I never knew you were this _daring_ to ask me for a favor just after me supporting you. Care to explain to me, why you need nearly a week of absence from the Palace?"

Esdeath spoke while lying down next to him on the bed inside their shared chambers.

The woman wasn't angry nor was she even remotely agitated once he worked up the courage to ask of his request for a small absence of leave.

Inside the room where a decent sized moon had risen up into the skies, bathing the large room in a pale light that left more than necessary to be revealed. Tatsumi had taken it upon himself to wait for them to enter the bed together to at least confront that fear in its most basic form. Honestly this was as close as he got to the core of the issue without going beyond the anxiety claiming his sanity.

He was sleeping less than a foot away from Esdeath in the same bed.

Trying to understandably keep himself from trembling as the woman held him in her grip, the young Colonel decided to ponder on his options if even going on this wild venture with a person who was more enigmatic than a ghost amongst a graveyard, Tatsumi had to put things into perspective. Due to the time frame of this new teigu-group that was being formed to further combat Night-Raid and having the Imperial Sabers stationed as a conventional armament to contain the said group, his own plans were coming slowly together. Despite the progress he was lacking in the very thing that made the woman lying on the side of him was infamous. She had the ability to control Ice.

The very marvel of the Empire that sent its military war machine into the the world, objects that were envied and feared most of all.

_"Teigu."_

And he needed one that would accept him, somehow.

"_No, that's not the case here."_

The only Teigu that might remotely accept him was underneath the said bed he was lying in. Incursio would feel like a lead weight if he had to willing use it, Bulat's wishes would be honored and completed when he had the time for it. he couldn't accept that reminder every day, he didn't deserve to live up the mantle of his friends dreams. If he had to die for his sins, it wouldn't be with Incursio who deserved a more suitable wielder and for what it was worth, it be the best thing he could do as a person.

And it'd prevent a spike enter his heart every time he remembered the faces of friends he had lost.

Or killed...

The Colonel had to take risks to maintain this surge of success and progress, the idea of a lost Teigu being found by him or anything of that sort would be a huge boost to his critical results needed to impress those that were watching him from afar now. Eyes like the woman next to him, that were gauging his strengths, predicting his very actions and so forth. In order to prove that he wanted to see that better tomorrow, he needed more results and they were needed to garner the power for such a dream to come true. This honestly scared him beyond the veil of death as he considered this mind numbing task.

He asking for _favors_ with a woman who could easily, so easily make his time a living hell for even _asking_ for something beyond his rights.

At least to her logic, unable to do a thing without proving to her his strength for such a task. So nothing on hand at least within his mind could formulate an answer to this dilemma. What could he do? What could he do in order to find a way to exploit answer? His mind was in complete turmoil trying to consider anything to get the results needed!

And to top it all off, he had a limited amount of time.

He had a single night to convince her, well now roughly half that time as he wanted to get an early start on this journey find a lost Teigu and hopefully wield it under his own will. This unknown path before him just made him doubt the resolve to a solution to this problem. The said problem lying next to him absently stroking his hair now and all the while it felt nice, to be in the arms someone. To be damned or not, he had to find a way. This forced start of a relationship or whatever Esdeath wanted it be had taken a gentler yet reasonable pace after their date earlier in the evening.

Not everything seemed forced, he rationalized.

So here he was possibly in risk of destroying his own progress with her on that front, under his own wording no less. Hell it would be insanely dangers to risk her wrath if he angered her for that matter and he couldn't lie to her about even the reasoning. How could he trust this woman? Could he as a person make that risk and all for what? She was a General who ranked higher than he was on the chain of command and by all rights, if she had anymore soldiers like those three beasts than they were just as strong!

Blood rushed into his head a lot quicker than necessary as frustration swelled inside his heart and mind.

"_What can I use to get her to agree, something is there? Any lie I make will be questioned and I know she'll call me on it. Any lie or creditability can't be linked to Blue because why would she even see such a venture to be worth while? Just mentioning some guy in a 'blue-robe' to lead me to a Teigu would be foolish and just idiotic to her. I'd probably be chained to the god damned bed! So come on, Tatsumi just think here! You know lies will not work, but what if..."_

The Colonel paused in his thoughts immediately when something hit him square in the brain!

If he was boxed in a situation were lying wouldn't get him out a potential consequence, so why not do the opposite? Thinking intently the young Imperial realized something rather peculiar that it'd would appeal to Esdeath to accept his own time to discover such a relic that if it existed could be a battlefield equivalent of a decisive charge! Esdeath herself had read his older journal, oh he knew she had been a few times as he could recall and she _knew_ his motives to an extent!

But she didn't _know_ how he'd be able to use that against her!

This new line of manipulating the truth seemed very uneasy but, the rewards were totally worth it! A high risk reward, with little dangers to him personally and the blue-haired beauties own reputation! So what if he told her the truth but twisted the actual story enough to get her intrigued? it was so maddening that if might just work, using what he was as a person and to deflect the outright truth, with a twisted truth to keep Esdeath interested to learn more.

That age old statement of '_Where there is truth, there are lies and where there are lies, there is truth_'.

Those words were factoring his own ability to kindly inform her about such a thing.

Mentally formulating such a statement and story seemingly could get Esdeath herself, to give him her go-ahead on such a venture and to be possibly come out unscathed was what made this bold move all the more exciting to try! Tatsumi just smirked inwardly as this plan he had to be proclaiming to the most insane of them all so far as a commander to turn the tide against an enemy, who held all the aces to win the day. He could not but help recall, Blue's words in the time he had given the Medallion-pendant that was hanging on his chest right now.

Blue's words came into his mind as he closed his eyes easing the fear that racked his heart.

"_Only a __fool __opens himself to those that can read him but, it takes a __smart_ _man to __allow __what he opens, to be seen."_

Tatsumi nearly laughed as he got his answer and oh boy, what a realization to hit him in the most unexpected place!

Lying down in the bed of a woman whose hailed infamy made all those demand her blood as retribution for the lives she had claimed and her next conquest was his body, mind and soul. This was like trying to play chess against a more skilled player, nothing less of that situation required caution on top of restraint to find a way to win. This was no different and he had to take advantage of such a move, as anything would merely tip the balance in his favor briefly enough to consider victory within sight.

Inhaling slightly he had to piece together the real puzzle to full solve this enigmatic opponent called 'Esdeath's pride' in order see its true face. This wouldn't be easy, but being honest was always easy and he was very good, in using the value he truly loved to maintain. A value he knew that he had written about and it drove him to go forward with this plan in the first place.

Integrity.

He couldn't but say something to himself about this whole idea.

"_I don't want her to believe my lies, I need to just have her to accept my truths." _

She knew him due to his journal, so what not play to that end?

So the first part was to merely tell the truth and to _twist_ the more lesser parts into something very believable on his part to the woman who was nuzzling his neck now while waiting. Despite the closeness of their bodies, it somewhat negated the normally aggressive nature of the blue-haired woman and that could be a boon to his means of attaining the go-ahead from her lips. Mentally his mind rushed with answers to the questions he needed to ask, the statements needed to plead his case and to get the approval of a General, who was as ruthless as a beast if provoked in the wrong manner.

No pressure in other words.

Overall there was a saying that all Imperial soldiers knew since their basic barracks instructions still got instilled into their heads.

'_If you have no __**guts**__, then there is no __**glory**__ to be earned_.'

That old saying really made this plan come forth into an aspect of resolve, that reflected the foundations of the Empires own founding nearly a thousand years prior. What a means to use that solid base for his own need to expand, his strengths! It was something really unorthodox to adapt to the battlefield that he was on currently.

And he had no choice but to start to put that plan in motion!

"You want to know why, right? Before I explain, can I ask you something personal?"

Steadying his voice the woman shifted next to him as his hands slowly made their way around the edges of her torso to bring _her_ closer to him. Esdeath's eyes were gleaming quite delighted at his actions and approved feeling her breath on his bare chest. A little cooler than most normal body temperatures, his own flared beyond its usual capacity as nerves came to life. He had to ignore the beauty of a woman lying across him and the blood inside his veins were indeed rushing to places, best left not to be thought about.

"Personal? Huh, go ahead."

Using the physical closeness of his body the young Colonel absently began to rub small circles behind the woman's back to at least stem his anxiety, to do something practical to give him all the more needed advantages of her to _listen_ to him. Her silent moans of content gave Tatsumi all the more urgency to speak as calmly and honestly as possible. These gambles better had paid off or he was going to hell in the most unspeakable ways known to humanity, he wagered.

"Do you trust me, to not lie to you about something that can only benefit us? To have no repercussions that would negatively impact myself, or you beyond these chambers? No, our chambers."

Hiding the nervousness in his tone as he placed his head onto the top of hers, to conceal his eyes that were pleading mentally to the heavens for a divine assist in this ploy of his for her approval. She shifted to the point where her bare breasts were against his lower abdomen under the sheets that gave an inferno of body heat against the cool autumn night of the Imperial Capital.

Silently using his hands to rub her back again in a methodical manner he got the answer, in the form of her sigh of happiness at his actions.

"It depends on what you have in mind. I can trust you to not be a fool, Tatsumi but that's not the problem here is it? What do you have in mind, to get me to get you an absence of leave? People would wonder whether my lessons would be instilling my discipline and strength to keep you in line."

That cool tone of amusement made the Colonel nearly sigh out of relief, she'd be willing to hear him out. Maintaining his current physical momentum, he idly decided to reveal the idea of a Teigu at the expense of him using his creditability of telling people in an honest manner. So using his own journal to tip the balance in the favor he needed for her approval.

So moving a free limb to brush her hair off her ear and tracing a small pattern down the small of her back, practically making the woman arch herself into him.

It was here he revealed the reason, why.

"What if I told you I had tracked down a lead on a Teigu that no one has seen before? Or rather, it had been lost until I took my effort and resources to validate the claims of such a lead. What if I told you, I narrowed down the location and had hired a guide to that area, to possibly get ourselves a new weapon that has been lost for a long time. Would you trust me? To be honest with you about such an importance that could only give us a win-win situation to have no repercussions?"

Esdeath's breathing hitched as the full volume of her mounds hit his chest briefly to make him freeze all thoughts while maintaining his physical methodical movements to get relaxed. Closing his eyes as Tatsumi mentally prepared for her next response, he'd been very careful to not give away such of a blatant lie to make it as appear he had prepared for this conversation. Easing away her head, he used his second hand to trace his palm across upper back to just get her to be relaxed as possible.

Fortunately he had underestimated the actual delights the woman was feeling under his gentle embrace and it paid off when she spoke two words to cause his heart rate to slowly drop down a bit.

"Enlighten me."

Mentally nearly cheering, the young Colonel explained the 'win-win' situation that he was implying to her and he began to explain while shifting her into a more comfortable position against his bare chest.

Esdeath could only sigh in pleasant bliss, to have herself in the arms of the boy she loved and could only listen from the best way possible.

Sleeping contently on his warm frame, forever wishing to continue to be in that same spot.

Luckily for her the younger Imperial didn't move her at all, after that.

"Even if I don't return with a Teigu, the possibility of tracking one down is just too tempting to pass up. With the lack of Teigu known to exist or not, to just find traces would be perfect to replicate or bring back to an Imperial Armory could only be a great sign. You could say you ordered me to track down a lead on that and it wouldn't reflect on you negatively for seeking out a Teigu. This is only the worst case scenario since it'd give time for this new group to form without my presence to effect their judgment of your own command and for my legion, the Imperial Sabers to return within a day or so of my return."

Very kindly now he informed her of the best case which he knew in his heart he had to hope for.

Or else all this effort would be wasted.

"Now, when I do _find _a Teigu that I put my efforts and resources into, it can only increase the results of your own training onto me to bring back another weapon for us to use against Night-Raid and the Revolutionaries in the south. You would reap the rewards, all the positive things without even having to inform anyone beyond this sheet of fabric we're under. I can promise you, that when I return, it solves the lack of my own Teigu, plus any delay you have on my training while issuing the news to the Emperor and to whoever need be to see that results are always attainable, when loyalty is given. All I need is your trust in me to find it and bring back, to show you that your faith in me is not misplaced."

Ending the explanation while leaving her to ponder his words, he easily maintained that relaxing position for her head to be rising against his chest now. Her breath ticking his side a bit as his eyes traced the shape of the moon edging amongst the clouds. Its brightness bringing a cool breeze amongst the silent shadows that gave him the ability to sleep.

"Tatsumi, even if you do or do not find a Teigu. You're still spending time _away_ from me, so how can I _ever_ get that back?"

The Colonel smiled while staring at the night sky.

He'd do it by gambling with his own reputation as an honest soldier and one who always came through on his promises no matter the price, or pains it took to set it right. So he easily laughed a bit bashful though the woman didn't see his face to know that tone and she eased her legs to entwine against his own. A good sign she was listening to him nonetheless in any case.

"Think of it as a bet! I'll do _whatever_ you ask of me when I return. If I return empty-handed, I _promise_ to do whatever you ask and I will not resist it. I feel that this is a genuine lead on a Teigu to bring back that hope is not lost for weapons to be found, to be used to fight the ones we must. So in the worst case scenario, you don't have to lose anything on my failing or suffer a blow to your own creditability. We can only benefit from this, besides do I have any reason to lie to you about this potential Teigu? You know me right? To not say anything honest that can be possible, to achieve?"

The woman stayed silent breathing softly on his bare chest as he thought for a moment she fell asleep but her chuckling began at an image appearing in her mind. Trailing upwards to the side of his face, he came eye to eye with the strongest of the Empire and she was absolutely _glowing_ with mirth, that emotion dancing across her face. Nothing short of her own delights to see that she could win anything as it was true that she had nothing lose but, instead now she had everything to gain! It all came about to Tatsumi's lead on a Teigu that wouldn't really effect her, but it would prove his own ability to seek out potential value.

Leaning forward intentionally sliding her breasts across the boy's chest near the base of his neck making the blood flow under her, rapidly. She didn't mind whether he could find a Teigu. Oh no, her mind was on the prize of his words and promises if he failed. He made it sound so sweet and utterly tempting, she had only everything to gain and to be fair, he was trying pretty adamantly on finding a teigu.

So Esdeath smiled, Tatsumi had just provided her a means to attain what she desired of her own heart and body for him to fulfill.

"Anything? You say?"

The Colonel didn't hesitate with her this close.

If he did hesitate: then all of his efforts would be wasted and that was unacceptable!

"Anything you ask, if I return empty-handed. I don't go back on **promises **I can't keep and for that alone, I'd say its a bet we can both can take on and only **reap** the benefits."

The blue-haired woman leaned forward onto his face, her lips gently _biting_ the outer lobe of his right ear and making him shudder in surprise as she teased the younger Imperial. This was all too good to be true, too good to be fake but if he wanted to play this type of game with her. Oh, she'd oblige with an equal amount of enthusiasm that no battle could make her body rush with ecstasy to come close!

Really did this mean that he was offering her his compliance to utterly dominate his will?

Oh the possibility of achieving her own victories, were too sweet to pass up.

"What if you had to kiss me, for a goodbye or to greet me? What if I wanted you, to be more physically intimate with me and what if, I wanted you to shower with me whenever I want you too? What if I'd make you want to scream my name, when I get to use my whip or whatever I have in store you..."

Tatsumi had no choice in what she demanded, he was banking on her own rewards to entitle him out of his own resolve.

Maintaining eye contact when she pulled away from him, the woman straddled his body making him see the full glory of her own naked body in the moonlight. Her beauty alone made her akin to a pale goddess at least to that type of picture as he nearly felt his heart glow with stunned adrenaline rushing all over now. This couldn't negate that urge to get her approval, he needed to do this now or just waste away for another chance to do something as equally successful.

"I would accept it. If that's the consequences of failing in my venture, to find this Teigu. I'd accept it and honor my agreement, I've got no reason to lie to you about such a thing. I only ask for you to have hope in me, so that I have the faith that I need to succeed and I will make you see that."

Esdeath smiled in the moonlight as she gave her response and he had to do something that made his lips run dry. Her next request made him feel a sense of relief but also, a greater sense of trouble if he did fail in this quest to find a Teigu. A failure that Esdeath herself was _banking _on to get her own desires to achieve her total dominance over him and to decide whether, his strength would grow in the long run.

"I'll allow you to go but on the condition you _kiss me _right now fully to seal my approval. Like you said, only _benefits_ that can have **no** repercussions for me. Agreed, love?"

She leaned forward making him panic in his thoughts as he summoned the last battalion of his courage to nod in agreement. Her eyes sparkling with delight, amusement, victory and utter desire that made his spine curl from that last emotion alone. Preparing himself, Tatsumi pulled the woman closer onto him, feeling her closeness become so unbearably hot, that it pained him to admit it felt so good to experience. Gulping down that anxiety as her face came to within inches of the side of his cheek, her tongue idly tracing itself closer to his mouth and his heart nearly exploding from his chest.

For the sake of his dreams, for the sake of gathering strength and to garner hope to be alive within the Capital he had to do this. As much as his mind thought of such a reason to stop his body, he couldn't back down from this and to only succeed, would prove that he was willing to make chances happen. To give chances the ability to turn into choices, that would see the Empire into a better tomorrow. To have hope was to have faith but to have no faith meant no hope. In other words it meant that neither could exist without that belief alone.

Without any power, those with words of faith had no weight and no right, to give strength to those who needed hope.

There was no turning back...

Tatsumi gripped the back of her head quickly and powerfully as his body summoned that courage to do what he needed to do. All the while he leaned up into the crashing of lips, his against hers as she groaned in unrestrained need as she gripped the back of his back extending onto his chest. Nearly losing himself as her breasts crushed against his firm chest, the feeling of her own heart-beat being felt through the grinding flesh separating their respective beating organs.

The first time of having someone being this intimate with him sent his rushes beyond the lines of he knew off.

He couldn't breathe because of that emotional need to take her came so _painstakingly_ close to the point of no return, he didn't let up aggressively fighting till his last once of need for release came into his lungs as the woman, returned that aggressiveness tend fold making him clench his fingers tightly.

It lasted nearly thirty seconds but that time seemed practically an eternity as Tatsumi leaned back onto the bed with the woman panting heavily licking the taste off her outer lips. That lustful expression making his strength flee him, as the stress of pulling off an unbelievable stroke of victory and it all it cost him was: his first kiss...

"When do you leave?"

Which was totally worth it, if this venture paid off!

Panting heavily Tatsumi mentally eased himself to shut his eyes as the need to sleep claimed him. He gave his answer as the woman gently kissed the underside of his jaw and his vision went dark. That exasperation in his tone, only made the woman chuckle at it despite the rapid departure he had planned. It was just one hell of a moment, that needed to be followed up with the chance of power at his finger tips.

"First thing, tomorrow morning."

Unexpectedly he didn't have any nightmares to plague his consciousness that night.

* * *

><p>Riding Noburu into the early mornings made Tatsumi feel the need to wonder if this were a dream, he had just taken a huge risk and danger to on go a venture with person who was more enigmatic than a phantom and was going with the said person, to find a teigu that he doubted existed. This had to succeed or the extent of what he had to face to come back empty-handed would sum up in three words. Those words would make him cringe from the consequences in such a failure, that made him realize something.<p>

He was fucked.

If failed in this venture...

Both literally and metaphorically fucked if no teigu existed.

However what was done was done.

The Colonel had to be understand the risks he took that leap of faith needed to fathom such a potential weapon to get to the level where he needed to be. He wasn't vain to know, that he could survive a prolonged engagement with teigu users and he could only go so far to maintain an edge. If they continued to underestimate him than it'd be likely to exploit a weakness in their movements yet this didn't last as much as he hoped. Killing two teigu users technically three from the rumors and he'd have a huge target on his head more so than already. The sheer amount bodies under his Sabers length meant he was getting _powerful_ and people that weren't sympathetic to his cause would eventually make a move to take him out.

Under Esdeath or not, all politicians did drastic things to stay in power when threatened.

Pulling himself together, he had to ignore these things for the time being and focus on the immediate goal on hand. Getting a damned teigu that would help him become stronger, become something he had to be and to get those to realize that Hope wasn't a fairytale. His eyes dipped to the animal that was carrying him with a few days worth of food and bedding since he had only a few hours to get everything that he needed to for a long trip away into the wilderness.

Just getting himself into a stable mindset seemed practically a daunting task since his nerves were in full swing: how in the hell did he come up to a conclusion to trust a person named _Blue?_

If anyone in the Imperial-Sabers witnessed this, they'd call him crazy or downright bat-shit insane to act on this impulse alone. Tactical level mindedness could only go so far when the battlefield had shifted beyond the normalcy in warfare.

But the negative impacts were highly reduced for himself and the one he was bound too.

Sighing to himself the young Imperial could only make the best of this and try to understand where he could go from here on out. The means to attain a weapon powerful enough to make him able to stand on his own would be only a boon, nothing less would be acceptable to take on the greatest foes that stand against him to end his life. Every corruption held its secrets to its long reign, the Prime Minister would kill him if he knew of his intentions and for that end alone, Tatsumi had to succeed to prepared himself for that change to push into the system of the Empire.

Something had to give one day and he swore his will wouldn't cave under that pressure first!

Nudging Noburu to pick up the pace as he pat the side of her neck as a means to apologize for the eagerness of his own actions today. The horse didn't really give a negative sign of his limbs doing so as he kept rubbing her neck affectionately to maintain his gentle nature to her and the animal responded shaking her head neighing loudly. Smiling at his long time companion, he spoke softly rubbing her neck as best as he could.

"You ready for this too Noburu? It's been some time since either of us have traveled to a place we haven't been to on our own. Let's up hope the both of us can stand up to this task, right?"

Lightly running through the Capitals near desolate streets the young Colonel let the cool morning wash over him and he could only bring himself to go down the same path he took when entering the massive Imperial Heart the first time. Coming around the bend, he came to the same street where that Tavern stood out as he brought the horse to a stop, easily reining her down as he saw the still closed establishment have an occupant next to the door. Tatsumi sucked down his anxieties and inspections before prodding his steed over towards the person relaxing.

Steam wafted upwards from both a throat and two cups of liquid sending a sweet coco-smell over the street itself.

Blue stood there with two hot coffee like beverages while idly sipping on his own.

"Morning, kid. Want a coffee, to wake you up?"

Tatsumi grimaced, "Sure. I guess."

The man walked up, handing off the spare drink as the Colonel idly sat there with Noburu moving herself towards the water trough that was next to the building. He allowed her to drink to her own content since it'd be some time to take to get wherever they needed to go. If he didn't go crazy from the waiting as he reflexively bit down onto his tongue, once the host steam liquid touched his mouth. Suppressing the urge to gag he just enjoyed the warmth tickle into his stomach and spread over his body, as the cold chill got negated within a matter of minutes.

"So, what did you have to do get the old iron's shackle to release you from its hold? You don't have to answer, it just seems you had a rough night."

Blue's amusement oozed from every syllable and that made the young Colonel reply tersely since while he had hidden the small affectionate harboring for Esdeath. Small as much as it was slowly there and what not. He had no desire to spill the private parts of the agreement, so he instead just brushed off the answer as casually as he could have to the man.

Although Tatsumi wagered this blue robed man just smiled regardless of whatever he said to deflect the more intimate action.

"I had a very good sleep, I did what needed to be done and got her approval. I just hope that your Teigu exists and doesn't fail flat on its face."

Blue just snickered at the response as expected and he casually waved an arm, looking out over the street.

"Do I look like a _fucking morning_ person to you and to be joking around at this time? Either way be proud, you get tap a very fine piece of ass and possibly die in the most lusting, agonizing and mind blowing ways any man would rightly sacrifice their right testicle for. Far as I'm concerned, you will have a lot of very good sleeps when this is all said and done. At least, if you fail or succeed?"

He trailed off laughing lightly making Tatsumi level a glare onto him despite the fact he was mainly right. Although he wasn't particularly excited to block out the more _excruciating_ habits that Esdeath had lined up much to his silent horrors. He had a feeling that he would see more sides of that woman, beyond any ungodly reason to slice his own fingers off to prevent blocking his ears from her suggestions alone. Shivering from other than the cold, the Colonel replied a bit deadpanning at the eagerness most men supposedly would give to be with the Ice Queen of the Empire.

He'd say good luck and have a great time to die, in a cold hell.

"I don't plan on failing and if anyone is that eager to give up their future, go for it. It'd save me a lot of stress Blue and I'd welcome someone to keep her attention off me. Although if you want to offer yourself as a means to make me happier, you're welcome to tell me."

The blue robed person just shrugged much to his curious glance from the Colonel on horseback.

"Sorry kid, I don't do sloppy seconds. Plus being hitched is your problem, and I prefer being single to enjoy the simple necessities in life. That's a fact!"

Moving away from the scowling Colonel, the blue robed man went over towards the bend of the structure whereas he had gotten the beverages from and to get his own horse. Within moments of hearing the sound of hooves, Blue came riding out a pure black steed that held the counter-stance of a well-bred line to say the least. Maneuvering his animal quickly to the side of Tatsumi who narrowed his eyes at the ease of such command and had to withhold the urge to ask who this man was.

Nothing seemed to add up with this guy, ever.

On one hand he seemed at the very least to be aligned to the Empire, or he could pass as the Revolutionaries. He be inclined to agree with the later to understand that the Revolutionaries who were easing their way into the Empire's lands, had agents to test the defenses of the nation as a whole. So if that were the case than why would the revolution seek him out, wouldn't they be cautious or fearful of who he associated with? Questions arose as always and they fell into ruin as the answers eluded him again.

Blue just raised his hot beverage and seemingly smiled.

"As fun as this mornings banter is going to be, we must be off kid. To reach our destination before the snow starts falling would be better for your sake and my own, to keep you alive. In the event once we do reach the area where this Teigu is kept at, we'll have to wait for a few friends of mine to escort us there to get inside."

"_Friends of his? Why do I get the feeling this is not going to make me feel any better?"_

Reluctantly he voiced out the question, although knowing the man would probably deflect the answer.

"Friends of yours? Do I want to know what kind they're supposed to be?"

And Blue clearly responded amused as he raised the beverage in a show of good sport.

"The kind you might find handy, kid."

Unbinding the words from a blond haired girl named Spear came back into his mind. When she spoke about the 'blue-robes' spreading tales and news about his time in the western territories of the Empire. Her answers weren't forthcoming in the sense of understanding why these people tried, having a reason to spread his coming to the Imperial Capital and for it was worth, why were they making him a larger target than necessary? It didn't make sense in that regard or did they have an ulterior motive against him?

So to be able to witness a few of these people would be quite fortunate to study their motives to say the least and, to possibly track them down if things got out of hand.

Tatsumi didn't want to become a saint, he wasn't even close to that word.

He was far away from that as humanely possible and more closer to the real thing that inhabited this world.

A monster...

One who did what it did and to achieve results.

"Where are we exactly stopping at? The North has all but been destroyed by the very woman, I'm practically giving her what she wants from me. I'm giving up my last remnant of free-will to her! So at least come clean in that sense, I doubt you're that stupid to keep that little detail out."

The other rider looked back at him before motioning him to follow on his own steed who had quenched her thirst. Nudging her to gallop up to the blue-robed male, he waited for his answer as the sun rose up over the massive towering walls that enveloped the Imperial Heart. The light slowly revealing the true despair behind the shadows, as various beggars were trying to sleep in their meager or less so, in their crates.

Tatsumi had to ignore such a site to keep eye contact with Blue, who was sipping the beverage casually in the warming sun now.

"The northern regions were eradicated pretty thoroughly kid, but it doesn't mean that all the settlements were touched. In the north-eastern parts of that region, on the border of the Empire there lies a small outpost, it's probably nothing more than a traders gambit to sell their wares and what not. It lies at the base of a mountain called at least to my knowledge, 'Northern's Peak' and that's were the Teigu is located at. Well around it, I guess."

Sipping the drink he sighed loudly enjoying the tastes before continuing calmly now.

"Beyond that we have to wait, for as I said a few friends of mine to get there. We can store the horses there at the settlement since they'd be a hindrance at that point in time and all I can say for you kid, is just be patient. Trust me when I say, if you get lost out there: you're a dead man walking."

That didn't bold well for the young Imperial, whose expression turned into a bitter scowl to know that while he didn't enjoy the amusement of Blue's tone, he knew it to be the truth. Tatsumi had to bare with the consequences of agreeing to this venture and had to see through it, to the end. More than enough had been put on the line, as he mentally prepped himself to ride on Noburu for most of the day. Looking to the skies, as they warmed with the rising of a new day, Blue finally commented as he tossed his empty beverage to the side yawning loudly.

"Alright. Let's be off, I'm going to fall asleep soon enough."

The blue-robed man kicked his own steed quickly as it took off with Tatsumi following behind him. Air rushing past his ears, to blow some loose strands of hair into his face and for the life of him, his heart was racing as the challenge to obtain a new Teigu drove his resolve to see to the end of the journey. Inhaling deeply, he distantly looked back at the fading form of the Imperial-Palace as it loomed in the shadows of the suns rays for a few more minutes. He had to do this, to see to it that his dreams wouldn't falter or become another myth of those wishing for change. Although he promised, he would change the Empire for all of those who died in vain and he'd do whatever it must, to achieve that strength to further accelerate that dreams fruition to come true.

"_I don't know if this is the right path to take but I have to trust my heart, that I can't be fooled by such a false Hope. Blue maybe strange, a bit weird and he hasn't actually tricked me into anything as much as I know him. Whatever is waiting for me out there, it'd be better worth the rewards of obtaining power and I can only fear the cost of it."_

Moving steadily out of the shadows of the Imperial buildings, Tatsumi just kept his breathing calm enough to keep up with Blue's own mount as they sped across the distant city that held the Heart of a nation whose resilience to time would be tested drastically. The Colonel could feel that thrill inside his veins, as another battlefield loomed on the horizon and the opposing powers were setting themselves up for a show down. No matter how early, usually the first strike was an initial incursion to test the capability of a counter-attack, this type of warfare worked when opposing enemies held an advantage in morale.

Looking at the people that were slowly coming out of their homes, the faces of the many citizens and his fellow country-men held the beginnings of an emotion that seriously made him doubt his own experience to witness it. While the tall tell signs of a defeated people were there, the eyes maintained a slightly amount of emotion as they witnessed him leaving the Capital and it was rare to see someone crack a smile at his white uniform riding amongst the suns morning light. Perhaps this was just a premonition of people starting to churn from their daily routines, or maybe Tatsumi considered himself insane enough to hope for a different outcome that he had striven for.

Smiling faintly, this was maybe the first time he considered himself insane.

An odd notion for sure.

Passing by the main gates leading to the Capital, the two riders were nudging their respective steeds to the maximum speed they would go as both men looked at each other. Despite their separated concealment's, they were gauging each others resolve to continue their venture and for the sake of one to obtain strength, he'd go through whatever was necessary to get it. Without Power, a man could not change a world regardless of his dreams or intents and to Power, meant to have strength.

They would ride until the sun would hit mid afternoon and early evening...

As the journey to find a Teigu had begun.

* * *

><p>Esdeath hummed an older tune to herself, that brought her back to the times of when she was a young child still hunting danger-beasts back in the frigid lands of her birth. Last night had exceeded her expectations of getting closer to a boy, who had claimed her heart and quite frankly had put up an excellent resistance to her advances. This didn't deter her from such a conquest or claim, it just made the challenge all the more sweeter to obtain his gaze onto her body and he'd accept her whole kindheartedly. That electric fire of his lips crashing against her own made her sigh out blissfully, completely enjoying the rising sun as she placed her cap onto her head.<p>

While adjusting her jacket firmly over her chest, the phantom ecstasy rushes were making her slightly weak in the knees to almost make her squeal like a school girl. Holding that urge back, the woman looked at the rising sun seeing the dawn a bright red: the omen of blood being split on some distant battlefield and it was utterly, beautiful to know. Smiling in a manner of ill-advised futures to who would witness such an expression.

Since Tatsumi would be gone for a few days, unfortunately.

She had to kill time to pass the solitude.

"I guess I'm off to the torture chambers, I still haven't had my fun yet with that Night-Raid girl. Maybe I'm slacking off, well no more of that. My new group won't be formed until all of them get the orders to report here, I wonder if I'll be able to restrain myself with my new torture techniques. Well, time to find out."

Laughing lightly to herself, the General fixed her rapier at its usual place at her side.

Moving out of her chambers, the young woman continued humming to herself as she passed various guards ignoring her completely or were too afraid to breathe. Every foot step seemingly made the moments with Tatsumi so much more duller, she already began to miss him and his ability to keep himself cautious against her moves. Honestly it always got her in a better mood to see him try to avoid or deflect her advances, consistently striving for something that he was not yet. While not a strong person to stand against her, as he was weak enough were any competent opponent would kill him and yet that didn't make her worried.

Him being weak for sure was a problem.

But that wasn't truly what she felt now about his skills overall.

Something lie deeper within, like an untapped well of emotions that were an opposite to what she loved about the boy. His kind heartened smile for one, along with that gentle tone of voice and his eyes warming of molten green to look at anyone lovingly. That expression made her heart demand to claim those feelings, to dominant him, body, mind and soul. Sighing deeply to herself as a trace of a smile on her face and she managed to avoid the most interiors of the Imperial-Guards who allowed her passage.

Coming to a doorway with two more guards posted, they opened the blackened iron barrier to see a stair case leading downs towards the torture chambers of the Imperial Palace. Torches were lit every so often to provide light to the way downwards as the screams of the prisoners were able to heard. Her smile in place as the staircase twisted into a pathway past the chained cells of half alive corpses that were pleading to die from the agonies that were inflicted upon them.

She merely hummed that tune again as more sounds came to mind.

The cracking whips, the stripping of flesh and the screeching pains of those who were criminals, terrorists, traitors or just unfortunate enough to end up here. This was her playground, her means to test and to break all those that were here. Passing by devices meant to disembowel human bodies, the smell of blood and rotting flesh seemed to make her at home as the continued populace of the chambers screamed to end their lives again. Almost like an orchestrated musical as she giggled to herself, the sound making everyone scream in fear as word spread of her return to those who would meet their ends.

A few boiling pots of tied down humans, prisoners having their skins boiled off from the heat were thrashing for release! Begging to die as she merely flipped her fingers absently as if hearing another tune of music that only she could hear. Again the higher pitched screams of females came into play, along with the torturers who did this profession for a living were having their ways with them as always and she idly made a conductor motion with her index finger.

Such a wonderful musical they were providing her, she felt a bit generous today.

Passing by certain cells with several locks in place and their occupants screaming their throats bloody hoarse and she smiled at their sounds, her lingering effects still did that to people. Laughing lightly since a day or two away from her hobbies made her feel as though a weight were on her shoulders and had to be rectified immediately. Stretching her arms backwards idly popping a vertebrate in her lower back and feeling the relief of that as Tatsumi didn't get that particular spot. She'd have him do more massages in the future since he had discovered a hidden talent, it'd be one of the many things she'd have him do to her.

While apart of her wanted to him to succeed...

"Oh, I kid myself sometimes."

She reflected to her own musings verbally laughing since it was akin to embarrassment to have him fail. It wasn't just her mind wishing for such a finish, tingles went up her arms as the events of last night came to make her sigh in bliss again. Holding one side of her face as the flushed appearance of thinking about such things were quiet scandalous in the sense of what plans she had for him.

Almost her entire body wanted him to fail as the rewards alone would be so delightful to taste.

Coming to a stop she witnessed a door being guarded by two black armored men who saluted her out of respect for her rank and opened the door to the occupant inside. Humming again she stepped inside without a care for in the world to reveal what her latest project was, to find out more about Night-Raid's base of operations and to merely pass the time to make this newest toy of hers crack. Eventually they all did despite their raging false promises of revenge and whatever they spouted when she had her way with them...

The weak perished while the strong endured.

And that wasn't changing anytime soon.

"Have you enjoyed the reprieve I've given you little girl of Night-Raid? I must apologize for neglecting you lately, but I've had more pressing matters to attend too. So, I've got some spare days to ask you quite nicely in where the rest of your little group is hiding and to be fair, I might be a _rougher_ than usual since the last time together."

Esdeath spoke brightly at the occupant who shifted meekly in the chains, hanging from overhead.

Mine had seen better days, blood dripped onto the floor as lacerations and cuts were marring her entire body now. Whipping serrated markings were all over her back, running down into her groin areas and the dipping crimson had only been her companion for the lack of sound escaping the cell. Her eyes were absolutely enraged as she weakly tried to move her battered physicality. Despite the unbearable pains she was in, her voice hoarsely spoke out making Esdeath only smile delighted at such vigorous encouragement that her fun wasn't done yet.

"Go to hell, bitch. I'll kill that _**man **_when I'm through with you..."

Moving to a table provided in the room, the General smiled seeing her tools of the trade displayed in such a clean fashion and she idly got her favorite serrated whip. Casually unraveling it, seeing the edges gleam in the torchlight, the woman frowned to herself seeing a few chipped blades and had to replace it in the future. Such a wonderful little tool but they had to replaced regardless of her personal feelings on the matter.

"I'll always enjoy you stubborn ones, trying so hard to hold out and it always gets me hot to see their broken expressions afterwards. That satisfaction in breaking another one. Always breaking the will of a person to my own whims and for what it's worth, I'm going to enjoy our time together. I might be seeing you for the next five days, give or take when my lover returns. You'll be good _practice_ for my whipping techniques."

Mine spat out a glob of blood as her eyes closed halfway as her body prepared itself for another round of hell.

"...I'll...kill that bastard, that murderer. Just watch you fucking whore, I will gut him when I have you on your knees and I'll tear his head off! I will be so happy to see your horrified expression when I see him dead!"

Esdeath frowned a bit, her eyes darkened at the mention of Tatsumi being killed to spite her.

Clenching her fists as a smile of a sinister creature echoed as laughter came abruptly from the blue haired demonic female. Threatening the one she loved didn't just anger or annoy her. Oh no, this feeling was reserved when a person intentionally wanted to see the monster they so desperately wanted to confront. This feeling was meant to for the bloodshed that made her thrive in this life, the sweet satisfaction of dominating those that resisted her and for when they broke...

Her heart swelled with utter happiness!

"Oh my, don't be worried little half-blood. I'm sure my lover will ultimately send another of your kind into the ground and I for one will watch your eyes pop out when he ends your life. So keep struggling, keep fighting and most all resist me since its only more satisfying to me. So let us begin, little Night-Raid girl."

As once more the screams started.

The guards who were posted behind the door, cringed as laughter escaped the cell.

And it didn't stop...

Until the next morning as always.

**End Chapter Twelve**

**Author's Note: **I've had numerous people ask me to write detailed tortured scenes, so I ask do you people really want that?**  
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I apologize for the short length of this chapter but it was originally apart of chapter eleven but I had to cut it down. It would've been way too large for me to go upon and personally, this smaller segment is merely setting the stage for this ARC altogether. I'm not holding anything back when it comes down to how this story moves onward to set up the pieces in place for whenever the more glittery ARC's come into play later on.

It's really me trying to prepare the Tegiu ARC as a whole and do what I can to make it more suspenseful. Makes you question how Tatsumi had to circumvent the obstacle that is Esdeath, dangers are gradually building up (not in the sense of physical but emotional) as well, the scale is slowly getting larger as time goes onwards. That's a pet peeve of mine when it comes down other stories of characters 'asking or explaining' situations to people who are like Esdeath, to find something of importance.

So I had to dedicate a portion of this chapter so (you as readers) get the detailed picture, what's on the line and how its going to happen...

Granted there is a bit of I know (a few of you are staring at me with knives/duct tape) of fluff in that scene with Tatsumi and Esdeath, but its too show a more shrewder side of a soldier. It's not all easy to convince Esdeath to do anything she deems to be inconsequential, it was hard for me to find the right reasoning and having to appeal to her mind set of, '_If you let me do this, I'll offer something in return_.' It all comes down a promise that Tatsumi made with her, one so tempting for her that it got her to agree.

He offered himself per say since the promise dictated anything if he should fail to return with a teigu.

Basically it all comes down to the journal aspect of Tatsumi, Esdeath has been reading that personal memoir at times and she has the _edge_ to predict the normal consistencies of his personality. That is why I had to make him use that contradiction of using truth and lies, he doesn't lie per say but its enough truth to get someone hooked. He's using anything and everything to get results done to take on the corruption of the Empire and eventually, the pieces all start to come together as this story continues.

But lets talk about Mine for a second or two, the answer that she's alive is confirmed to those who have been curious. She's alive, but I don't think you can agree with yourself to say she's sane after being tortured consistently. It shows her stubborn attitude in canon and it can also translate to a bitter resolve to hold on, but I ask you: hold onto what? What purpose does she serve in this story, her role will vastly change and it will ultimately effect Night-Raid later on down the line. How this pans out is that, I'm taking a more _drastic_ turnabout on Mine's personality to show how far things will kick off, eventually.

On a more positive note, I'm well aware of people Private Messaging me on (Which OC's) are going to be revealed.

My response to that pleading, just wait and read.

So I hoped everyone had a happy new year and I wish you well wherever you are at now.


	14. Chapter XIII

**(A/N: There are mentions of rape in this chapter in a flashback and if you can't stomach what is implied, skip it immediately. That's my only warning for you to be aware.)**

**Akame ga Kiru**

**The Imperial Saber **

**Chapter Thirteen**

The cold winds in the frigid northern lands of the Empire didn't welcome those with a comforting sense of relief. It was a hardened feeling knowing if any who wished to live within the unforgiving terrain. Snow flakes were already falling by the time the sun had slowly began to set and Tatsumi realized that the journey to the place of a resting Teigu would only get more perilous. Even the skies above were more inclined to give out their intentions as snow-fall began to steadily come down from the heavens and it made Noburu snort in annoyance at the colder temperatures. The young Imperial didn't blame his mount as his eyes picked up the white precipitation coming down now.

_"Snow."_

It wasn't a form of weather he was used too despite being out in the western territories of the Empire.

Out there it was steppe barren land with the occasional stretch of deserts and that one occasional oasis to support life. So anything white wasn't going to be falling from the skies as the Colonel bemusedly thought. All the while studying the area for any sign of wildlife, or human presences for that matter.

This northern landscape was more attuned to make a human life survive, difficult as the massive density of trees were growing beyond the eye could see. Tatsumi witnessed the snow slipping off larger branches into the forests that were mainly of oak and pine trees, giving it a sense of serenity that masked the dangers within their confines. Occasionally the call of an animal marred the eerily silence of this massive forest, so it just gave the Colonel the worst case of a vibe akin to an ambush.

Soft flakes of snow hit his face, slightly chilling him to the bone.

Inhaling sharply his eyes went to the canopy of the trees seeing a bird flap out its shade from the noise the horse made crunching into the snow itself on the ground. If he didn't know any better, the density of snow would get to the point where it'd be dangerous to maintain this course and he could see tall tell signs of predatory danger-beasts within this environment. Tracks of some kind occasionally were faded in from the fresh snow falls, but they looked more than large enough to be threatening to a soldier of his caliber.

"Blue."

The Colonel called out hesitantly to the other rider who was on the side of him.

The blue robed man completely still on his mount and hadn't spoken for some time now. This silence didn't settle well with his bodies prone paranoia of when something was stalking him, the feeling of eyes onto his movements were all to familiar now. Scanning the surrounding areas, to no avail, as trees and more trees were blocking the further distances with snow to mask the visibility now. Tatsumi felt like he was being spied on now, eyes that no human should be natural to feel upon.

"What lives in this forest exactly?"

Asking that simple question made the blue-robed man frown as he idly replied scanning the area as well.

"Animals. **Big** ones, at that. This forest serves as a deterrent to most travelers who use it to get to this small outpost I mentioned earlier. Though, its too quiet."

The sunlight above started to fade enough to make Tatsumi see the looming mountain ranges towards the north, he could feel the chilling bite of the cold climate gnarl at his exposed skin. Basically his own face, as he sucked in a breathe to stem a hiss of irritation to take his mind off the eerily silent forest as the two companions were now very wary about the lack of life. A soft gentle breeze echoed into the densely compacted forest, as a howl of groaning wood and branches made the Imperial Officer freeze his thoughts dead.

This forest unnerved him very thoroughly.

"It's going to be dark soon, I'd recommend we set up a fire and hold up for tonight. I don't want the horses to freeze or get frost bite, what do you think?"

Asking that question to Blue who remained silent, for a bit.

"Sounds good. There's a hunting camp along this trail that is used by any Danger-Beast hunters, or fur-traders from this outpost. To be fair, its rather odd we've encountered so little signs of them."

Both pairs of eyes were scanning the surroundings for anything that gave them a paranoid feeling of being watched and it quite frankly got them on edge. The silence of this forest was unnatural now, it really felt like it was a deathly wooded area and the lack of any animals, gave off the impression of a successful predatory chain of nature. Again the young Imperial didn't have much experience in a snowy terrain yet alone a danger-beast infected area that even he wouldn't want to tangle with on a bad day. Give him a good day, with some back-up and Tatsumi would gladly skin a few to make a profit for the laughs of it. If one could hunt Danger-Beasts then they deserved to profit off the income there skins were worth to those who could pay for a demand.

Blue's words weren't appeasing the uneasiness the soldier was feeling at his moment.

A cracking sound came from directly past his shoulders!

"_What the __**fuck**__ was that?"_

Looking behind him Tatsumi thought he heard something _snap_ a lose branch.

Anything related to breaking didn't settle with him for that matter. Shifting very quickly in his seat, Noburu started to snort alarmingly as she was getting spooked as well. Patting the side of her neck, he could _feel_ the blood rushing in the animals body as it tensed from the paranoia of being stalked. She knew that he knew, about whatever was out here was tailing them. He had to figure out what was exactly doing this and why was it doing this to them? Alone, for that matter? Neither of the two horses were bleeding, neither was he or Blue as well.

So what was the point in stalking them?

"Noburu's getting restless and she doesn't do that, ever. I'm thinking, a Danger-Beast?"

Blue responded clearly eying the forests as he guided his nervous horse up past him towards a short inlet path leading into the treeline. Tatsumi could see a scratch mark on a tree, it was a human made mark to give directions. The robed man idly replied with a trace of relief lingering on his tone, to which the Colonel picked upon and was immediately feeling slightly better.

"Perhaps, but to be safe the hunting camp is just up ahead. There's a makeshift stable there for horses to to be tide up too and be safe from the snow fall at night. Beyond that there's a small cluster of bush-houses for those seeking shelter to hunker down in the night. I'd say we're nearly eight hours away from the Outpost itself but traveling at night is a bit too daring for my tastes."

He elaborated a bit when Tatsumi was wondering why, they were even stopping in the first place. His grim answers weren't settling to the younger Imperial who clearly felt anxious. Blue didn't blame the kid, he felt his own spine curling from the eyes that were watching from afar. Snow increased as the sounds of it falling various places made him look up at the canopy to see the weight of the frozen liquid bend the branches at the tip of the skyline.

"At night even though there's little sign of predatory danger beasts, they can see in the dark and we can't. Plus, the fires will ward them off and I don't want to get lost out here. I've haven't been up here in months and I have yet to see this place, so quiet now. But for the sake of our safety we're going to have to deal with it."

The man reached inside his robes fishing out an object that made Tatsumi look at in frank interest.

Blue tossed a richly decorated revolver pistol that had the insignia of the pedant he had around his neck. The avian like creature with the seal of the Empire on its grip and the barrel had inscriptions running up to an iron sight slanted backwards like a serpents head. Inspecting the firearm, he cleanly caught a small pouch of clinking ammunition's stored inside. Curiously he asked the man the obvious questions and wanted to understand the actions.

"What's with the weapon? I have my saber and I'm not best shot with this."

Confessing a bit wary at Blue, who merely adjusted his own belt as he caught the second identical weaponry matching in the fading sunlight.

"There are some things you don't want to be very close too kid and especially in a fight. So trust me on this, having a bit of ranged variety will save you the effort to kill something normally that'd take you out in close combat. Just think of it as insurance and another means to save your own skin, but more importantly remember this..."

Looking over at the man who leaned forward with the most serious tone to date, and Tatsumi almost shook his head in disbelief alone. Mentally counting to ten to stop a series of curses to fly out from his vocal cords, Blue issued his warnings.

"...I want that back. I only have two of these things and I customized the design myself. So here's the quick facts about what you need to know, you got seven rounds of chances for you to kill something and it is seven more chances than you had originally. So let the weapon do its work and hit the side of it to release the loading chamber. So it can have the mechanisms release the spent casings. It's got some kick to it, so don't try to pussy foot your grip or risk breaking a wrist."

The Colonel twitched his jaw at that last part.

"_Selfish, son of a bitch."_

"Sounds. Safe. Enough."

He bit out his words.

Even as the other rider retorted, "Just remember which end the bullet comes out, kid."

Blue moved forward into the forest along the small game trail as they were briefly concealed by the thick compacted trees. With snow coming down on top of them, at times nearly blinding the two men. The density of the snow fall really made one wonder who be crazy enough to live in such an area, whereas it seemed impossible to move without being hit! Tatsumi considered the Capital to be more bearable in the sense of weather, as he absently nearly sneezed from the cold environment now.

As the horses trudged their way through the growing snow fall, a growing sense someone staring at his back became prominent as he kept checking over his shoulders consistently as the gentle sounds of snow were getting more pronounced. Occasionally one or two, flakes would get caught into his eyes making him briefly tear up as the chilled liquid gave him a startle. Tatsumi just inhaled deeply, feeling at that frigid air meet his exhaling warmth to create a small fog effect and it nearly hot him annoyed as more clumps of snow dropped to the ground.

Turning into another bend of trees, his eyes were seeing fainter traces of human involvement with the area.

Several trees held ax-markings to chop wood for fuel, several more others were stripped of the bark and used for potential tinder piles to light a said fire. Other more cleared out patches of snow were evident but the lack of work made him narrow his eyes as he caught details of quickened movement. More sporadic prints indicating people were running, or fleeing from whatever made them to leave such signs for those find.

He wasn't a frontier tracker, nor even a hunter yet Tatsumi could piece together the events leading to the signs of this hunting camp.

Something made those that were here, being a week or days ago to run somewhere up ahead of them and it only got the paranoia of being 'watched' justified to warrant his full attention. Increasing his pace to get Noburu moving, he gently nudged her to keep pace with other rider whose silenced mimicked his own. Tying the small pouch of ammunition's to his belt, Tatsumi absently kept the cool steel of the revolver on hand in front of him at all times now. That creeping sense just returned fully making him turn around in his saddle, seeing the bend of trees disappear beyond another such of the same details.

"The lack of any locals, is that a good sign?"

The Colonel had to ask that obvious question to break the compressing silence of the forest as Blue didn't feel happier in this situation. His own silences were mainly due to past experiences that weren't adding up to this forest tundra like terrain. Inhaling enough to draw Tatsumi's gaze, he spoke warily enough spinning his firearm to stem his own ways to ward off nervousness.

"If this were late-winter, I'd say its normal but the season is barely hitting its strides. So, I'd say this is not normal enough for me to be at ease and the lack of wildlife is finally starting to get to me. I'd hate to say it, but _something_ is claiming this domain as its turf. Hopefully, we can rest during the night to get to the outpost at dawn."

Blue informed him seriously enough.

It made the two riders stay pretty close to avoid lagging behind as the sound of wind howling in the afar terrain gave an eerie effect.

Both horses snorted alarmingly to be stopping in their tracks as they caught wind of something they didn't like and immediately made both men raise the firearms on hand. Literally the animals were getting a whiff of a scent that neither human could detect over the cold snow covered terrain itself! The forest still silent as the grave didn't give away its predatory menace.

"Something is clearly still around."

Tatsumi warned while patting down Noburu trying to stop the panic from claiming his long time steed that clearly was in distress. That way she was acting, not even a battlefield that the Imperial Sabers were in would clearly get her agitated and it showed when directing troops in mid-clash with rebellions as they maintained the peace in the western territories. This animal had withstood arrows, spears and other such things thrown at it. So for her to clearly to be uneasy, meant that Noburu was afraid of whatever was out in these woods much to Tatsumi's growing concern.

"_Where? I know it's around, this feeling is like being spied upon and knowing that its just waiting for an opportunity. Noburu can smell it, my instincts are screaming to watch my back! Where?"_

Just what in the hell was in this forest to get even a hardened battle-horse unnerved?

"Come on, the camp is just ahead. Sooner can we find a suitable position to defend, the sooner we have a fire and keep a watch on the horses. Hopefully tomorrow will be here quickly."

The suggestion nearly an order made Tatsumi immediately move Noburu forward as the two companions were slowly making their way to the camps supposed location. The young Imperial checked behind one last time, trying to make sure that nothing was staring at them from a close distance and for the life of him, he witnessed the snow fall beyond the next bend of trees. Twitching his mouth in an unappealing way, the Colonel moved quickly to catch up with Blue who was nearly around another bend of trees.

Another bird flew above, it was the second animal seen within miles flew off as the horses disturbed its slumber from the crunching snow that was freezing from the lack of sunlight now. The sun was glimmering from beyond the mountains to where the destination of the Teigu was located at. Tatsumi again felt like being watched, he had to withhold that urge to stop looking over his shoulders. Whatever had claimed the forests of this area, didn't wish to be seen as of yet and for that reason, the Colonel would have his weaponry ready at all times.

"I don't recall Danger-Beasts acting like this..."

He whispered to himself trying to ease that paranoia once more and shifting enough to have the revolver closer to his body. Every so often Tatsumi would scan the tree lines again, from left to right and failing in getting a glimpse of a well concealed predator that had taken up refuge in this maze of oak. Exhaling deeply, he briefly considered getting out his winter cloak packed in a small meager bag of his and attempt, to ward off the cold.

So for a few minutes both Blue and the Imperial officer rode every so often checking the flanks.

"I just figured out why no one is up here and you're not going to like what I'm seeing."

Blue's voice brought the Colonel out of his thoughts as he maneuvered Noburu to the side of the blue robed man's horse and looked to where that statement reflected too. So easing his oldest companion to the side, Tatsumi came upon a sight that made him pale in the sense that his instincts were true in some sort of predatory Danger-Beast stalking them in the woods. His eyes saw what no human could do what he was witnessing, as he agreed to the silent robed man's posture now.

Whenever silence reined, the hunters prowled for the prey.

"Well, this is quite disturbing."

Seeing the hunting camp wasn't that bad, a few bush houses were set in place as the drying grounds underneath them were evident from the lack of snow. It could fit two people, if they were intimately involved but less so than to be likely, as Tatsumi inspected more of the camp. His eyes trailed over to the side, to see the make shift stable for the horses if a small group were to be used to get there. A great deal of tracks were around the entire camp, so were new and old varying on whether its owner was scoping out this makeshift stop in the dimming sunlight.

Standing a good three meters high, with oak pillars to support the wooden planked roof above the larger structure as it had a small pool of water within the corner for the animals to drink. Some feed of whatever type held into another corner as the wooden barriers were used to contain them inside the meager place to store the animals. It seemed to be in working order, but that wasn't what got his attention returning to the bush-houses.

Several splatters of blood were on the side, with claw marks littering the ground...

A large pit was workable with enough already stockpiled in a spare bush-house to keep the wood and fuel dry enough, to light a blaze. Getting off Noburu as he walked her to the makeshift stable, he left her in there as the animal snorted going over to the water clearly thirsty despite the cold climate shifts. Patting her on the neck again, he just went over to a sight beyond the back of the houses, as Blue was already over there inspecting the site on his own horse.

More stains of blood on the inside of the stable, more corpses to identify whether it was horse or human either...

Walking into the shin-deep snow, crunching it with his steel boots, the young Imperial came upon what had his heart beating a bit too fast for his likeliness. Coming around the side of Blue's horse, the young Colonel felt his paranoia pay off in the sense that dreadful feeling being stalked came into full light and it frankly, sucked to be under the said gaze in a pace that one had no experience in. But when the familiar scent of a rotting corpse came to his nose, it wasn't as unknown truly.

Five bodies were in a small group on the ground.

Each corpse having varying degrees of injury that lead to their deaths.

Most had their throats torn out, leaving a shocked and utterly confused expression on their faces. Others had scar marks across their chests, legs and backs as if indicating a prolonged combat that lead in their demises. Again the expressions were changing from shock, into terror and practical pleading as their eyes were vacant staring upwards. However, the last one amongst the five corpses, painted a more livid light as Tatsumi absently twitched his jaw. Kneeling down he lifted the pieces of arm and shoulders, to reveal a marking on his abdomen that gave voice to bite marks.

The middle of the five corpses was completely _shredded_ into an unrecognizable mangle of flesh.

Studying the scene Blue gradually came to a conclusion as he witnessed the dragging signs of them being piled here for some reason or another. The slants in the snow were moved within the past day or so as someone had dragged these bodies here as a statement. The blue-robed man saw a particular symbol on the helmets of the corpses as he told the answers that the younger Colonel would ask within the next few minutes or two.

"Soldiers of the Empire, scouts most likely since the lack of armor is a dead give away here. I'd guess they were searching for signs of the Northerners after that genocide in the capital of their territory. I'm not surprised, too much." Blue revealed while moving his horse around the pile of corpses dragged together, Tatsumi continued to move limbs to reveal half broken weapons as the man continued. His eyes were scanning the clearing behind the Hunting camp, as the darkness crept further into their sight.

Wind blew more ferociously with the temperatures biting at the warm living flesh exposed.

"I don't recognize the army they were with, I don't see any unit markings."

The younger Imperial stated looking at the bodies of his country-men laying there to freeze into a cold rotting pile of flesh and he felt a surge of anger. No soldier had to die like this, unless something absolutely terrible was done in their names! Cracking a hand out of reflex made Blue have an amused tone while moving back towards the hunting camp itself to start a fire.

"Oh, really? You're in bed with their commanding general, tell me you haven't _attentively_ inspected Esdeath herself? The mark of her main army? It's a black cross that she wears on her belt and cap, its what identifies that the most unholy deaths are about to claim. Kid, you're going to be particularly happy to know that her main army is maintaining 'order and 'peace' in this region, I can guess that the locals aren't happy. So don't expect the Outpost to be warming to your blood."

The Colonel looked back making his way towards the camp as Blue got his horse into the stables without too effort.

"_Black Cross? I didn't study her uniform that much to be fair, I've seen her without it. Which is kind of troubling, knowing her with it off."_

While suppressing a mental grimace at that tablet of information due to his experiences, Tatsumi looked off to his right again hearing snow drop. Gripping the pistol in his hand towards the same direction his instincts were alert and to the point where any movement seemingly got him antsy. Exhaling heavily the fog created under his eyes briefly obscured the vision he so kept vigilant now.

"I try not to stare to give her ideas. I think she tends to get the wrong idea about me, though maybe its me trying to get the right idea now."

His hesitant response made Blue laugh while he closed the wooden gate to the hunting camps stable.

"Sounds like a drama I'd take a coffee and listen too in the future. Don't be worried too much, I've seen stranger shit happen. Plus relationships tend to get rocky at first and they eventually smoothing out to make one able to travel at their own pacing. You just have to get past the icy exterior of a storm that is your woman." That laughter following made Tatsumi merely reply quickly enough while moving towards the fire-pit to possibly ignore any feeling of cold. Kneeling down, his body trembled as the sun was more a dark red outline beyond the mountains leaving the forest completely in the dark as the snow fall continued hitting them from beyond the darkness of the trees branches.

"An icy exterior that is colder a blizzard and having a frozen hell of a heart. I doubt I can even thaw an emotion out of her not related to me, it's difficult."

He didn't want to think about the blue-haired beauty at this time.

It be inclined to sleep less without the need for nightmares or suggestions.

"Oh I bet something's going to thaw out kid, but it _ain't_ going to be her heart though. After all pleasure is good company to those that earn it, or those who are offering to another, trust me."

"_Bastard."_

The man said this grinning underneath his blue hood when he knelt on the opposite side of the fire-pit pulling out a metallic flint to start the sparks needed for the warming light to return to the darkened clearing. Only the consistently fall of snow could be heard as the two were freezing a bit in their respective clothing now. Scowling, regardless the Colonel purged the thoughts of what the other man was implying as his gaze went towards the path they had traveled to get to the camp in first place. The darkness of the forest seemingly enveloping the entire area and it frankly set him on edge to be honest.

Several hits of metallic origin came from the side as he voiced out a question to the man who started the tinder bundle for the fire-pit.

"You think a danger-beast killed Esdeath's soldiers? It'd be quite powerful enough to take on trained Imperial's regardless of their motives for being up here."

As the fire rose up from its meager sparks filling the clearing with an orange warmth with the man feeding logs and dried out fuel into it, he started to explain the outcomes for those Imperial soldiers. Tatsumi felt his stomach just plummet into a pit, as he went over the really worse case scenarios that he neglected to mention or think about in the first place. Really being in a snow climate area wasn't the best suited place for him to have his entirety of the career half a nation away. Feeling trace amounts of sweat run down his neck, Blue's tone wasn't reassuring.

It seemed resigned and just irritated now.

"Hate to break this to you kid but they're human, so they make mistakes. So whatever got them, it's smart enough to set up ambushes and majority of those poor bastards were taken out in a quick strike behind us. So whatever is up here, it's intelligent, quick, strong and very vicious to what it hunts. Certainly not a pleasant thing to have on our consciousnesses, in this terrain its a pain in the ass to move enough without suffering hypothermia in the winter..."

The blazing fire vanquished the darkness creeping onto them and Tatsumi could see a good twenty meters around into the tree lines. He felt somewhat relieved to ward off the cold sensations running down his back from the snow now. In the distance, he thought he heard something break from the canopy of the trees making his eyes dart to the upper regions of the wooded terrain. Nearly ignoring Blue as he fed the fire before sitting down relaxing, Tatsumi caught more in-depth explanations on hand.

"...It's easy to get lost out here, the consistency of miles of forest, all this ice and the barren rock just make this one fucking big maze of a chilling death. Although do you want to know something rather interesting about that woman who fancies you? Tell me kid, you ever wonder where she was born?"

Peeling his gaze from the trees as the fire crackled now with the fuel of wood feeding the hot sensation of heat against his skin. Tatsumi went over towards his pack, pulling out a winter cloak to mask his white uniform that did little to stop the cold from entering his frame. Inhaling sharply he kept the hood up to stop the snow hitting his head as he replied to the questioning of Blue, the said man again smiling underneath the hood of his.

The orange and yellow lights flickering across the blue-robed man's faces like a devil's dance.

"I haven't asked her anything to her childhood, I'm more worried about her not trying to kill me if I say something wrong. Plus I've had to deal with more pressing matters than asking for a life story. So far as I'm concerned, she's been an Imperial Officer her entire life."

The answers didn't make Blue shift at all.

He sat there with an arm over his knee while feeding the fire as it continued to do its warming existence.

"Every past reflects the future of a person, the present is just an on-going struggle to maintain a path of absolution. But you're wrong about about that woman called the Ice Queen kid. I bet the truth is rather interesting to those who see what she's done. Well, what the rumors surround her that mean something that I've caught onto over the years."

Admittedly that last part got him interested mainly in the fact that he hadn't worked up the courage to ask her and if he did, the results would be unknown for her to react. She technically knew of his pasts, with reading his journal but did the answers require a risk to be taken to get an insight onto her? The Colonel sighed reluctantly, any information could be used and to understand why a person did what they did in life.

"You going to tell me?"

Blue flat out responded in a bland tone, that voiced his disapproval to speak of a persons past without their consent or willingness to a person they considered closely. Tatsumi slowly started to piece together what this man held in regards to those he traveled with, valuing privacy and had a twisted sense of wisdom to impart on those who asked questions. It started to get rather perturbing to think of this man as an Imperial Agent or even, a Revolutionary saboteur now.

"Nope."

But he elaborated on the answer.

"I'm just telling you that there's more to people than what they do. It's the same to that woman, what you think you assume is probably not true without the full story. If she hasn't told you of her past then you must understand it, in order to judge someone like her. Besides its not my place to tell you how to do it since you'd need to do it on your own, I don't like playing a marriage consultant. So do yourself a favor when you have a time, ask her and try to see a bigger picture."

Looking at him inquisitively the blue robed man merely ended the conversation as questions floated into the Colonel's mind. The woman who looked like two sides of a coin, one seemingly humane and the other a ruthless monster but one question lingered to one seeing such a drastic personality. Which was the real person? It boiled down to what had control...

The human or the monster?

Which was the real force behind them? Tatsumi reflected a moment on what he knew of Esdeath now that she had been with him for some time. It'd still didn't add up to her tactics, ruthlessly crushing those in her path and she was practically steady with guiding him into such an image so far. Where did it all this lead to and what was the purpose? Blue intentionally leaked him a lure to find out more, but refused to hook him for his own personal gains. So what gives? Why did he have to play this game of cat and mouse?

It just frustrated the young Imperial that he couldn't find an answer.

All his musings were doing little good to solve a problem like the blue haired beauty.

"What can you tell me about the location where this Teigu is at? What makes a person leave one so far out of the way of the Empire and the most of civilization? I can't imagine what kind of weapon is hidden here in this icy place."

Tatsumi figured to break the tension or limit the pressuring urge to shiver. This was to at least get his mind off the smiling picture of a blue-haired beauty that made his blood rush in a good way and a bad at the same time. His body craved warmth and that was the most recent attempt to ignore the cold temperatures. He had to focus on the tasks at hand as Blue made his question become again bitterly laced with more questions.

"The kind of Teigu that has to be hidden. The kind that if anyone knew about, the destruction to both a life and the surroundings would be insanely hard to put down. I'd do the world a favor until it was needed to be revealed, since it's not the most pleasant of weapons to be wielded."

Tatsumi blurted out his frustrations briefly making Blue merely turn his head.

"Why the vague answers? Can't you just say what kind it is, or whatever the hell its meant to do? I'm taking risks that I'd normally would not do. I have to be somewhat crazy to be following you to this icy hell hole of the world!"

The Colonel's guide just had the answer simple statement to counter the accusations.

"Well in that case, it's better to let others think you're crazy than to think you insane. Kid, least when you're crazy you have a sense of right or wrong while insanity is just a process you're wishing to change an outcome. Being crazy and being insanity are not the same thing, so relax. Just have hope in me that I'll give you the faith in me to get us the Teigu with no problems beyond our control."

Looking to the skies which were dark now.

"Get some rest, I'll take first watch."

The suggestion just made Tatsumi stare at him suspiciously since the comments of this morning were fresh in his mind. Didn't Blue like to sleep, so why offer to stay up as he asked that lingering doubt in his head. The man didn't seemed bothered by it, if he did, it didn't show up when checking the tree lines again. Systematically always rolling the chamber of the revolver as if to calm himself down with snow heavily falling now.

"Aren't you sleepy since you didn't like mornings? I get the feeling you'd be a pain to wake up."

Blue merely replied softly, as he leaned back against his bush-house to enjoy the fire's heat.

"I'll be fine. We'll switch in time, so for moment try to get comfortable. It's going to be a cold night."

Tatsumi hesitantly nodded due to the fact he didn't want to be the first to sleep. As Blue went about his business, occasionally feeding the fire with some dried out logs. It'd be able to go for most of the night without his intervention now but, it kept the blue-robed man busy. Moving into his bush-house, the Colonel got his small pack to use as a cushion for his head as the semi-warmer ground kept his heat under the winter-cloak. Getting comfortable came naturally, since his time in the western deserts forced a state of familiarized feeling enter his mind and soon he closed his eyes.

The last thing he saw was Blue mending the fire as his eyes shut.

And the nightmares came forward from the cold depths of the icy forest.

* * *

><p><em>The fire's were burning down the village again. Intensive heat searing the face of Tatsumi who cringed, a sickly brightness it created and his breathing strained. His sword in hand trembling as blood dripped down its length onto the ground and every, droplet echoed in his mind due to numb hell in seeing what he had done. Smoke filled his senses of smell, sight and taste as it chocked the very life out of him.<em>

_Screaming occurred to the side of him as he watched with vacant eyes as Imperial Soldiers torched another home to the ground._

_And butchered more the people who were their countrymen._

"_HELP! PLEASE! SOMEONE!"_

_Moving numbly to the gaggle of soldiers who were in his squad and a few were his own superiors he had to report too were amongst this circle. Damning sounds coming from human throats crushed all sense of right or cheers of encouragement just echoed into the surrounding area as the occasional clash of steel onto flesh split the silence. _

_Fires roared to life like hell's creation in destroy anything it touched. _

_The crackling of burning wood and stone seeped into the very earth that it came from. _

_As embers danced in his gaze, just when he moved towards the circle of Imperial soldiers._

"_MAMA! MAKE THEM STOP!"_

_A child's voice probably no older than his own age. _

"_DAMN YOU BASTARDS! DAMN YOU TO HELL! MONSTERS!"_

_Walking into the gaggle of taller and elder men that were cheering as Tatsumi came upon a sight that made his blood go cold. Blood that was the same as these very people, his own country-men and they were becoming no more than savage beasts. Their eyes filling with a madness of utmost inhumane proportions, the smiles of men who were deprived into thinking they held all the authority and could shape the world on their whims. Group mentality at its disgusting core as the younger soldier despite not even reaching puberty stood still watching amongst them feeling his heart tear apart._

_Tears went down his cheeks, gritting both sets of teeth and gripped the handle of his sword so tightly that it split his knuckles down the seams of their skin, revealing blood..._

_A woman probably around her later twenties was being taken against her will by several of his compatriots. They had her from behind forcing their own sexual dominance onto herself and were yanking her hair back as she cried for help. The sheer amount of liquids underneath her revealed that the entire group was taking shots at her, in fucking disgusting turns and ultimately revealing a sinister side of humanity that just made Tatsumi sick to his core.  
><em>

"_Why?"_

_As a boy he had no desires of the flesh and wanted to fight the enemies of the Empire._

_But these were peasants who rose up fighting an abusive Province Governor who was taking young children against their will to be sold into servitude and other shadier means. He wasn't aware as the screaming continued, piercing him like a spear thrust._

_Her eyes weren't ashamed nor were they fearful of her bodies betrayal to the rape she endured and no, that wasn't what made him gnash his teeth beyond their natural straining. Cracking pieces of tooth were slowly getting apparent, as Tatsumi found another site not so far from the mother. His eyes taking in of another rape that made his blood boil beyond all comprehension!_

_A little girl..._

_Being used as a toy being used as nothing more than an object and a separate group of men were having their way with her now._

"_YOU MONSTERS! IF YOU'RE THAT DEPRIVED THEN COME AT ME! LEAVE MY BABY ALONE!"_

_Several men came forward slapping the women across the face as she was being penetrated into a disgusting feeling of bliss and rage that seemed to make most soldiers be put to shame. No, not shame as the word was too kind for what Tatsumi as a child, could think and he watched in a stunned horror to hear the crying of a person his own age being forced into a hell. _

_His sword trembled openly as various degrees of anger, disgust, putrid festering rage and an unholy sense of murderous intent surged into his young body to stop this madness!_

_Why were they doing this!_

_To the same people of the Empire!_

_Why!_

_Looking beyond the spears with heads of the various rebels and what not were lined up in a sick mocking circle, under the gaze of its leader. A mayor and his family, crucified on cross as the females within the crucifixes held liquid dripping down from their groins, vacant eyes of the fallen to bring the living a damned existence. Tatsumi felt their gazes onto his crying face, they were damning him for trying to do some good in the world and was ultimately destroying it, little by little._

_All the money he had seemed worthless for what the price was, to save his own village..._

_But at what cost? _

_He closed his eyes, falling to his eyes trying to stop this utter feeling of sadness washing over him and it only became an enraged burn of his heart trying to block out the sounds. The crowd paid him no heed, as the youngest amongst them became scarred for life as these images wouldn't end in the ears of a boy who had no idea the world was this hellish. He wanted to end his life, to just stop this agony tearing at him and he couldn't help but stare at the adult woman who was being taken on the ground from more of his compatriots._

_Her eyes met his tears that were pouring, a look of disgust could said was there but a more crushing pitiful gaze looked at him right then there. As a boy, this woman saw the effects of seeing atrocities that no child should bear to see. Her eyes were keeping him rooted as he fell to his knees fully crying while watching the truth of the world, of the Empire and it'd only become worse as this time went onwards._

"_Stop!"_

_That word fell mute on any ears. _

_Desperately he clamped his hand over his ears! _

_Trying to stop the screams from slipping into his memory but it wasn't meant for such a mercy! He had to hear the sins of those committed unto the innocent, he was apart of this madness! Arms shaking from mental spams as the information overload hit home, his heart racing as feelings hatred and unwarranted thoughts of killing his compatriots were so close to crossing a line that Tatsumi bared with the shame of being a solder of the Empire. This feeling of shame just intensified as heard the cries of the younger girl, whose tears he watched were hitting the ground frequently and it sent shock-waves up his back._

"_Stop!"_

_No such orders were given, as the cheers increased in volume as fire raged in the homes of the villagers and they were slowly being gathered in the center of the settlement behind him. His eyes tried to stop the images being burned into his psyche, yet he watched an even more brutalizing sight as villagers were being hurled into a pit of fire!_

_They were being burned alive!_

"_Stop!"_

_Bound in iron shackles in wrist and ankle alike!_

_Sounds not humane were mingling with those screams of the pleading amongst of the living, the eyes of the slain damning all in their gazes and Tatsumi felt the weight of it all hit him in body, mind and soul! He couldn't stop crying, the tears feeling so heavy that his sword dropped to the ground as he started to shake his head. _

_This had to stop, this had to stop, this had to stop! _

"_THIS HAS TO STOP!"_

_The young boy screamed this out loud echoing into the choking skies of smoke and ember, as the orange pieces of burning wood were blown by an upper wind current. It made a mockery of a rain shower, delivering damning burns to those that were committing the acts of Sin and the injustice of those madness had to end! Gripping the sides of his temples, the boy fell face first onto the ground amongst the cheering Imperial soldiers looting the town to their hearts utter depravities._

"_Kid..."_

_Someone tried to life him onto his feet._

_Tatsumi ignored it, shutting out all of the noises as this carnage went around._

_Faces becoming nothing more than twisted forms of humanity._

"_Kid, get up!"_

_He wanted it to end, he wanted to die and to not bare this sight for any longer. He looked to his sword between the cracks of his fingers, breathing so heavily that his nose began to have mucus run down past his lips. To die by the blade of a sword, to die to lift this weight of unspoken pain and to just be rid of it all! He wanted to die, he wanted to die for this shame and it had to end as the screams of the damned wrecked his skull!_

_Reaching for the blade, he felt the cold steel reaffirm his desire to end it all._

"_TATSUMI, WAKE THE FUCK UP!"_

_The boy gasped as everything turned to darkness._

* * *

><p>Groaning as he brushed the snow off his face, the Colonel blinked out of reflex to see that Blue was standing above him. The fire was still going, but it seemed smaller in a way that didn't make sense as his rubbed the sides of his eyes. The nightmare from his pasts still haunting him, twisting his belief that hope was still alive and he could only bare the weight of his Sins to allowed what had occurred.<p>

"Blue what' going..."

The man cut him off, throwing a piece of flaming wood across the clearing to the outer edges of the treeline.

"No time! Something is **here **with us! It just started about five minutes ago, something's been prowling out of the fire's light, I can't tell what it is since it's been avoiding my attempts to shine fire at the edge for an earlier warning."

Needed no bidding the Colonel got up shaking the blurred sleep off as got himself ready for a confrontation, the clearing had pieces of flaming or burning wood logs making a ring of orange and red, as the sound of snow crunching rapidly came to his ears. Drawing his Saber, Tatsumi kept one hand idle with the revolver as it was tucked underneath his cloak, keep his hand hidden he started to eye the tree lines as he asked a quick question.

"Danger-Beast?"

Blue immediately replied his tone stern yet a bit uneasy.

"I'd assume so, but its been staying out sight for the time being. It hasn't charged us either."

Tatsumi eyed the darkened forest with the intent to spot the beast. Clearly he could hear an excessive amount of panting from beyond the bush-houses where the bodies of the Imperial Scouts were at. Inhaling slightly he went over towards a small piece of burning wood, carefully grabbing at the end of it, the heat searing his skin a bit and he tossed it behind the small encampment as his eyes witnessed a massive shape move away towards the trees beyond his range.

"_Is it really avoiding the fire? Or is this thing trying to stay out of sight?"_

Standing in front of the still going fire, he felt heat on his back and it didn't settle the chills running up his spinal column. Inhaling slightly, Tatsumi glanced left to right with Blue on the opposite side of the pit, doing the same as both men maintained a three hundred sixty degree watch as the sounds of panting and crunching snow got closer to the point where a musky smell penetrated the clearing. The Colonel kept his wits sharp and eyes scanning as the sounds went from to the side of him towards his far side, into Blue's own scanning area.

"Where?"

Whispering this word he leaned down crouching to get onto the ground to look for moving shadows. His eyes were closing as he focused all efforts into hearing since his visual range wouldn't do much good at this time, snow pelting the area as occasional hisses of water meeting flame appeared, the small distractions making the Imperial Officer grit his teeth in irritation.

Just then something came flying out of the darkness literally missing Tatsumi's head by inches...

And struck Blue in the back!

"Oh shit! Blue! You alright?"

Running around the fire, the man was groaning in pain as the Colonel rolled the man around to see blood dripping from the side of his head. A rock the size of his fist rolling innocently to the side making Tatsumi's blood turn cold. Whatever this beast was, it _wasn't_ aiming to kill yet it'd knocked the blue-robed man out first because it was _convenient_ to separate a threat that could be picked off. Clenching his fist as he started to drag the unconsciousness man towards a spare bush-house to avoid any snow forming onto his prone form.

Carefully he got his head lifted onto the man's own pack to keep the blood flow minimal if his head wound was that bad and he couldn't treat it as another sound broke the silence that was there.

An ear piercing _wolf's_ howl that made him glare at the front of the camp, the path that they came from earlier was the origin of that beast made call. Whatever this canine danger-beast was it certainly got his attention to defend himself and the out of commission blue-robed male as well. Blue's breathing didn't seem hitched or out of place, he just got knocked up from a precise strike from a rock. Satisfied Tatsumi inhaled deeply before moving forward towards the fire as the orange glow revealed something to his own gaze.

Two silver_ slit _reflected eyes were staring at him, gauging his reaction as he started right back with his own unflinching emerald orbs.

He assumed this creature towered over him, easily.

"You want to play that way, then come on. Lets see if you're that stupid to take on an armed person."

The eyes disappeared as he heard branches straining, causing the Colonel to lower his Saber parallel to the ground with his eyes closed. Gripping the firearm underneath his cloak, Tatsumi listened as the branches strained under an enormous weight, the trees trunks groaning as they moved around him and he could only exhale releasing his fear that gripped his heart. His mind concentrating to hear any sort of movement...

"_If I had the advantage in this situation, where would I strike from? The sides are too obvious, the front is suicidal since I'd see it coming. That mean's the back of the bush-houses? But why would I strike from an obvious spot since I have the __overhead**, **__oh shit..."_

His eyes flashed in alarm as the lack of snow falling made his body scream to dodge!

Quickly shoulder rolling away as he aimed his revolver at the gaping wolf like maw that _**roared **_in fury at his exposed firearm. Keeping his sight trained as the beast was hanging overhead, he could see a distinct powerful build of muscle and easily towered two feet over his frame and its eyes were maddening of a beast who wanted to sate its need for blood.

"Got you!"

He fired once, the barrel exploding with a brief muzzle flash!

Hitting the beast squarely in the shoulder region as it yelped in alarm and pain.

But it backed away immediately instead of charging as many angered predators would do.

That was odd!

As the creature faded into the tree top as branches were furiously torn apart landing around in the padded snow drifts. Muffed objects impacting the snow just added to the already paranoid Colonel who slowly backed up, maintaining a good meter of space between himself and the injured Blue, who hadn't even stirred. That wasn't good, head wound or not, if the man couldn't get onto his feet than it made this already dangerous situation to have little hope of seeing the next light. Trapped in close quarters were a wolf-like danger-beast meant claws.

Sharpened flesh tearing claws and with a lot of muscle to back it up at that.

"_Great. Just great, Blue says he knows the area and the first the thing that happens, we get jumped a creature that has more brains than a miscreant with a Teigu. No use complaining, got to survive before anything happens now."_

How could he draw this creature out?

Stepping a couple feet forward, the Colonel went to inspect the fire to see if he could throw more pieces of burning wood out into the darkened clearing in order to see better. Moving a few feet forward again, Tatsumi bent down at first to pick up the burning timber.

Only to realize an error far too late.

The ground gave a slight pronounced _thud_ as if something wanted to be heard...

"Fuck me!"

Swing around he tried to fire the revolver before a massive swipe of an arm sent him flying backwards over the fire pit into the ground, tumbling violently as he yelled out in pain and anger from doing something so stupid. He came to a stop within a few moments but his head was swirling as orange and black mixed into a eye sore to shake off as he felt his body cave in as he tried to stand.

His Saber still held firm in his grip, but the firearm was gone...

"_Oh god, it's not as insanely powerful as Esdeath but this thing can certainly hit hard. Feels like my entire skeleton just got hammered, ugh this is going to suck."_

Spitting up some blood, Tatsumi wiped his mouth clean before getting onto his feet to see what exactly he was shooting at and what hit him. The next few minutes didn't disappoint him in the slightest, as his eyes narrowed onto the form of a creature that didn't make much sense to his mind as it pieced together details.

This Danger-Beast stood an upright seven feet minimum at the least and he was right on the muscle mass. A powerfully built torso shone brightly by the orange flames masking scars across its body. Limbs were quiet built for powerful take downs, wolf like paws that seemed humanoid in a way that just screamed unnatural. And that was the worst of it at all.

Those claws...

Both sets glistening in the light were displayed fully out as if prey had been worthy to be given a full attentive future of its death. The young Imperial eyed the five digits that had seven inch sharpened claws, for sure that possibly could tear his organs out cleanly if given the chance. Again spitting some blood to the side, Tatsumi just stared at the wolf-beasts skull area.

Two eyes silver silts were gauging him as the maw with numerous fangs dripping saliva were masking the tongue of a predator whose sense of smell literally took in the injuries he sustained. Huge lungfuls of air were inhaled and exhaling as the musky smell of its breath came to waft by his own nose, making the Imperial cringe at the amount of flesh it must have consumed to reach such a potency.

"_Blue. I hope you don't make any movements, I don't think I can get to you in time. But first, where is that firearm: I have to avoid close combat as much as possible or if I can't prolong such a fight. I doubt I have the strength in my arms to cut into that flesh, going to have to hit the neck or stab the heart..."_

The wolf inhaled sharply, as it howled sending shock waves in the air as wind pelted the Colonel's face who winced from the effects. His body trembled knowing this as primitive of man fighting a beast, as it could get and the thoughts alone were getting him to grin anxiously now. Every journey to power had its own moments, this was just another test and he couldn't fail or everything he was striving for, would end so quickly...

Getting into a crouched stance he lifted his Saber-blade to rest at the junction of his free hand to aim directly at the chest region of the wolf like beast. Its eyes followed the movement, as it snarled making its body tense as it recognized his own actions. Glaring fully, Tatsumi didn't back down as he started to move forward gaining enough to speed to hold back on a sword thrust, he had to defend Blue and keep as much distance as possible for that creature to not turn around to kill him.

"Come on, you ugly son of a bitch. Take on something your _**own**_ size!"

The wolf charged leaping over the fire intent on slamming him to the ground!

"_It's definitely physically stronger than me, but its not as fast as myself. Plus..."_

But the Imperial quickly avoided as he side stepped the strike as his Saber plunged into the shoulder region of the beast, again moving faster than its heavier frame could manage to release the blade and manged to get around the back to slice at the base of its spine. He had to slow it down even more, physical strength was one thing but if one couldn't maintain the speed to follow up then it was worthless.

It was just a brawler with no sense of tactical initiative.

Another howl or pain and rage hit the clearing.

"_Esdeath moved quicker, she hit harder but the result is the same if I get hit. It'll be a fatal blow."_

Appearing on the side when the wolf beast tried to swipe at his legs as Tatsumi jumped over sending another wound into its shoulder, causing another gut wrenching howl. He witnessed the wound _closing_ within a matter of moments as he tried to keep his distance from those arms that would crush his ribs if need be. Silver eyes were glaring hatefully at him now, that hatred seemed to burn his flesh alive.

The wolf moved a bit too quickly as it tried to spear-tackle him.

"_I can't let it touch me! But this thing isn't as smart as it believes! Time to let my sword and momentum do all the work!"_

The Colonel stabbed his Saber forward as it hit the space between its neck and shoulder, as he flipped himself over the charging animal making his momentum tear a massive gash _down_ through its shoulder onto the other side of its back when the wolf creature smashed into a tree behind his previous position. Blood easily gushed onto the ground to have the heat rise in the frigid air in the glow of the fire.

Dashing over towards the bush-house, Tatsumi had Blue's form defended as the wolf beast howled in excessive agony and it thrashed around as the gash from its shoulder to its backside were struggling to mend itself from the injuries.

A gleaming metallic grip caught his eye as the revolver lay half buried in the snow, madly scrambling for it and the Imperial Colonel got it before aiming it at the twisting body of the Wolf-beast that witnessed the firearm before it gave a snort of shock. Tatsumi didn't blink as he fired _five _rounds penetrating flesh and possibly muscle as the creature gave an agonizingly slow howl as it fell onto its side.

Moving forward warily he flipped his Saber before stabbing the struggling beast just below its neck.

Slightly to the right avoiding the heart as the wolf snapped out of reflex, the fangs a blend of saliva and red coloration.

Pointing the revolver at center mass of its forehead, Tatsumi just spat a small bit of blood out onto the ground.

"Just! Fucking! Die!"

He was shocked at the amount of crimson gushing out of the wolf-danger beast as it snarled weakly from the lack of blood as its body tried to mend the injuries at a rate that was unreal. Cracking his knuckles Tatsumi didn't waste any time to cock back the revolvers mechanism to load the last round into the chamber.

"...**Str...ey..."**

The Colonel froze as the wolf-beast gurgled out something akin to a word.

Did he just hear something?

And he asked harshly, to the downed wolf-beast.

"What the fuck, did you just say?"

Slowly the massive shape of this upright-wolf faded into a smaller frame, an unworldly amount of steam hissing as snow melted from the excessive body heat being released. It was like a steam bath as Tatsumi had to hold his saber down just in case this was a ploy from an animal to escape death, his eyes were training as the slit silver eyes became nothing than a feral human iris filled with a _shocked _expression being felt.

"...Such...strong...prey..."

An animal en-tuned feminine tone came from the steam covered beast as Tatsumi found himself staring at the heaving chest of a well toned woman. With hair silver as any forge would make and having half her face covered by silk like hair down to her back. It was a mess of water, blood and hair literally melding into a spiders web making the Colonel look down in disbelief. She was completely bared naked to the cold weather, just panting heavily from the gashes on her shoulder and multiple gun shot wounds as the bullets were...

"_Oh my god."_

Being _pushed _out of the flesh and granted they were slow but it was happening!

Steam released from the exposed red muscles underneath.

"_This can't be a teigu user, right? Like Leone? No no way in hell! This, it's something else! Its too attuned to her bodies own strength to maintain it as her wounds are still healing and its a bit slower. Though it seems to be a loss of blood, meaning a natural loss of regeneration! What in the hell is this place to have such a creature of mixed blood!"_

A pair of enlarged canines were exposed as a tongue ran itself over them to make the Imperial Colonel merely glare down at the person.

"What's your name? And why did you attack my companion and I?"

The silver haired feral woman merely chuckled, her voice had a wolfish tone to it that wasn't meant to be amusing or remotely halfhearted as her accent held a guttural effect that made her voice seem more akin to growling at times. However her eyes were scanning the form of the barely winded Colonel, whose cloak flapped in the growing wind as his eyes were illuminated by the orange glow of a fire giving him a ghoulish appearance.

"Name? Prey have no need to say things, I am hunter and you smell so tender but..."

The woman tried to reach his body, but his twisting of the saber impaled onto her chest made her whine in pain as the ground shook from the vibrations in her chest_._

"...so brutal and fast. Sweet meat, have strength and I have no memory of what I am. For I am hunter and of forest, so why is prey asking I?"

Tatsumi blinked trying to decipher the words this feral woman was saying and focused on studying her the side of torso. A decent looking older scar of a surgery or something that stretched a foot across. Like she got cut into and organs were removed by some sort of medical practitioner or whatever it was called. Parts of her neck had faded holes, along with other such things but beyond that she had an instinctual beauty that made a man shudder at the feral gleams of silver eying whoever she was stalking.

It made the Colonel grunt to ignore the feelings that were coming back to him.

"No name? Isn't that just nice. So why were you stalking myself and my friend there, we didn't trespass or remotely even offend you. So tell me why or I'm going to debate to whether I should shoot you in the head and leave your corpse to the real beasts in this forest. I have five bodies behind my shoulder, who are agreeing with me, otherwise..."

He trailed off as the feral woman hissed slightly from the subtle movement of his saber impaled onto her chest are. Her next words were a bit forth coming, as to why she was stalking them despite the pain she was in currently. It was commendable on this woman's part, as her shoulder continued to heal, so carefully getting his blade ready to be used just in case.

"Others came, forcing their** urges** onto another female. I nearby, merely gave opportunity for Prey to fight. Then you come and beat me."

Her reveal made him blink in surprise, not from her detesting tone but of the Imperial soldiers purpose using this camp.

"_Well, at least she wasn't a supporter of rape_."

Tatsumi pieced together the stack of bodies with varying degrees of wounds. One of the locals must have been around here and they were trying to have their way with her, if that were true. The Colonel had to make a choice as he looked over towards Blue who was stirring finally groaning as he thankfully thought it was a good sign. So, the final problem on hand was to decide whether this woman was really a threat or would try to finish the job in cutting him down.

"You never told me why you attacked us."

The feral woman tilted her head, grinning excitedly as her chest heaved when her wounds were fully closing after their time conversing.

"I seek strong Prey, a fight to make me feel alive! You beat me, so I follow to become strong to beat Prey in future!"

Oh great.

"How can I trust you to keep your word? You seem to lack control."

His downed adversary pulled a thoughtful look, trying to answer a question that was legitimately worrisome as Tatsumi heard Blue groan out loud. The man seemingly gathering his wits about him, when he got to his feet rubbing the back of his bleeding skull. Stumbling out of the bush-house the man witnessed the on-going conversation, mind the fact Tatsumi's saber was impaled on the chest of a naked woman.

"If this is a dream, then god damn I'm scared in what you're into kid. Mind explaining _this_ shit and _that_."

He pointed to the woman first, who was giving Blue an agitated look as if he here intruding upon a private conversation. Also he came up to the sword still lodged in the chest area, although the wound had sealed up the blood flow mainly and her arms tried to twitch a bit. The Colonel glared to the point where the feral person meekly looked away as if submitting to the presence of the powerful soldier.

"Good to see you're alive, any pain?"

Blue just snorted, clearly not happy at the blood dripping into his hands. "I got one massive fucking headache, that reminds me of a hangover I wished to forget in the first place. Beyond that, the naked woman who looks like who could wrestle a danger-beast to the ground and I'm all set to enjoy a good sleep." Sarcasm and somewhat respectable irritation were laced in the robed man's voice, that it made the Imperial Colonel merely smile a bit grateful at the life that his companion expressed.

"Least you're alive, but I have ask you _girl_ what is your answer, in why I shouldn't kill you?"

The woman grinned raising her hand to trace the cold steel impaled in her flesh and it honestly made both men shiver at the way she lavished the attention. They had no clue in what do with this person, if she was even a person to begin with.

"I listen to strong Prey, so I get stronger. I wait, I wish and I know stronger Prey. I know not who my name is and I wish to find answers in time. I swear on blood, to not turn against strong Prey."

Amazingly Blue kind of pieced the common sense, in which Tatsumi didn't get at first.

"She's just a person who fights to get stronger, she's been around here searching for who knows how long. You beat her, since it seems she enjoys one on one fighting and congratulations in that regard. Saved my ass, so basically she wants to follow us and just get stronger. Also I think, she wants to find out who she was and I'm just taking a shot in the dark here, she won't leave us now that you got her blood on you."

The silver haired woman smiled happily.

"Weak Prey, says what I seek."

The 'weak' prey, just shook his head a bit slowly due to his injury.

"Kid, I don't know what to say. It's your choice, you saved my ass so I can respect whatever you wish to do. This woman ain't lying, she's just _simple_ and _honest_ I guess. We can possibly find answers at the outpost to see if anyone recognizes her as family or not. We can't go tonight, this snow is getting worse and I need to wrap my head as well."

The Colonel stood still as the snow hit the back of his frame, the cloak flapping in the wind and he stared intently at the impaled silver haired woman. Her eyes were silver, a near gray with slit instead of a pupil as her fangs were gleaming in the orange light. However, no malice or hatred were in her orbs when a person held something within their hearts against another person. Her expression was genuinely curious and excited to see him, studying her.

"_She attacked because she thought we were strong. Blue theorized, that she likes to fight fairly somewhat and she only listens to me because I beat her? I guess it makes sense but maybe I'm trying to over simplify, she'll listen to me. God knows, I'm going to regret this or not."_

Tatsumi lifted the saber...

And sheathed it.

Just as blood briefly escaped her wound before sealing up.

He offered her a hand as the woman growled excitedly at the gesture: one meant for peace and friendship as her memories pertained to such an action. Her frame was light but muscled as the Colonel didn't feel any strain and it made him wonder, how in the hell such a person could be born? Inhaling deeply, he started to explain a few things and all the while avoid staring at the chest area of the woman who didn't have any shame to avoid bouncing her cleavage.

"Okay, we'll sleep for the night here and head up to wherever, you're taking us Blue..."

Looking over at the man who waved his hand off, moving toward his pack for bandages.

"... And as for you, I have three things to mention about if you wish to accompany us. Do you understand what I'm saying here?"

The woman merely nodded happily as her eyes tinted in the orange night making her pupils disappear briefly.

"Please do not attack anyone we see, unless there's a good reason for it. I just don't want people to get terrified when you turn into that _wolf_ which is quite the impression to have. Secondly, I don't want you to get the idea that I think of you as an animal but if you want something, just ask me. And the most important thing..."

The woman tilted her head at him curiously as Tatsumi took off his cloak and wrapped it around her making a strange expression as the feeling of cloth made her antsy. The Colonel exhaled gratefully as that sight of a naked woman, made this conversation all the more necessary as he mentally purged the images that weren't a bad thing, from his immediate thoughts.

"Just put on _some _clothes, I think you're going to make people scared in a different way or excite them, also not in a good way. Plus we have to name you to just identify yourself since I don't want to call you _girl_ or feral person."

Walking away he shook his head as the woman followed him at his side as an exhaustion came over him. He wanted to sleep now, badly as Blue wrapped his head in bandages and gave him a nod of grateful to his actions. Tatsumi figured to give him some pity to the man, he had to stay up and watch over the camp for most of the night.

"Get some rest Blue. I'll be on watch."

With that he sat against the bush-house leaving to feed the fire as the silver haired woman curled up next to him making him look over down at her. She seemed to be rubbing her head against his side, in a way that was akin to a dog sleeping against someone it considered its master? Owner? The point was that Tatsumi didn't know whether to say something or leave her be, as Blue merely snorted as if amused by something. He disappeared into his own little shelter, intent on resting after a rock that struck him home and for what it was worth, this whole night was insanely difficult to get over.

"_Better next to me, then out sleeping where I can't see her. Just deal with it."_

So the Imperial Officer just let her lie next to him, covered in his cloak as his bright uniform did little to stop the cold.

All he knew for certain was this...

It was going to a long damned night, again.

**End Chapter Thirteen**

**Author's Note: **Shout out to Guest Reviewer Alucard.

That's for giving me the blue-print for this OC. It's the first of a few appearing and accompanying Tatsumi on his journey throughout the story, so be happy that the reveals are coming and this miniature journey for a Teigu is well on its way. It's not that long of a wait and to be fair it's all good spirits for those to enjoy reading. However I'll address the more crueler aspect of a past, that I know for a fact many of you are going to point out in a review.**  
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That 'nightmare' revelation that Tatsumi experiences is further depth to the things that he as a foot soldier went through.

So before anyone says to me: '_This is getting way too dark or it's getting out of hand_.'

I am _**not**_ a firm believer or supporter, or whatever the flying hell you want to call it of rape. I'd sooner shoot a bastard or assailant in the head for doing that to a person regardless of gender. I felt uneasy writing that little piece of hell, I had a few people who I confided with and to explain my own reasoning, to show what the Empire's armies were doing on a daily basis and it's implied in the Manga (that the armies do this type of crap, plus our reality does the same damned thing) plus the Pratas Clan's annihilation with Esdeath's father.

Rape is grim reminder of that world and our reality, that events like that do happen every day in some place in the world.

This is probably as far as I will go when it comes to the darkest corners of this story to show how cruel the Akame Ga Kill world can be.

But the nightmare has more to it in itself, so its to show how truly twisted Tatsumi could be on a level that makes you question everything he's ever done up till that point. I won't say why or how, the hints and clues have been there for you (as a reader) to judge the level that Tatsumi is as a character. Good or evil, it doesn't matter until you understand why he's fighting so hard in a naive state of mind that was forced. So why was it forced and how? Keep those questions in mind and to be moving along.

I will further go beyond into the history of the Akame-Ga-Kill timeline, I will being using events that are never fully explained or touched upon the canon material. It's kind of irritating that they mention it offhandedly but never fully go into it, to use as a means to add the depth of the events happening to Tatsumi and Night-Raid currently. Just to let you know, I am trying to make this story lighter in some aspects and I will show it, at times to uplift that dreary mood of a person who feels like this is marching towards a bleak end.

Just remember this story is a fan-fic, you don't have to continue reading it and if you feel otherwise do so. I'm just offering my sincere apologies if anyone is offended or feels that they think this plot is getting way too dark for any sort of redemption for characters, just remember it's only the start of when results are going to matter in the long run of things to change an Empire for whatever reasons.

Also I hope someone makes an Internet-Trope or Tv-Trope out of this because I've had a person or two recommend me to a site that uses literature as an example of certain meanings. So I'd be happy if anyone uses this story as an example and passes on the word to those who do it. From what I gather the best site if anyone wants to mention this story to it, is Tv-Tropes . org (just type tv-tropes into a search engine) and you'll find it immediately.

Anyhow, I bid you all good fortunes and be safe in wherever you're at now.


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